


Avenge me, tomorrow

by Stachmou77



Series: Avenge me, please [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bucky Barnes Feels, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, M/M, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, Multi, Natasha Romanov Is Not A Robot, Polyamorous Character, Porn with Feelings, So Wrong It's Right, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think, Thor Is Not Stupid
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:54:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 26,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23584171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stachmou77/pseuds/Stachmou77
Summary: A follow up for 'Avenge me, please'.What if Thea (the original female character) had feelings for the team, but felt hollow after a heavy sexual intercourse. It may be her kink to be used sexually, but now her heart is exposed, she is deeply wounded and felt dirty.She didn't think the rest of the team could even love her and decided to step away before she got hurt.She certainly didn't expect Mjöllnir to grant her some unknown powers and meet some new people.
Relationships: Avengers Team & Original Female Character(s), Avengers Team/Original Female Character(s), Bruce Banner/Original Female Character(s), James "Bucky" Barnes/Thor/Original Female Character(s), Natasha Romanov/Original Female Character(s), Steve Rogers/Tony Stark/Original Female Character(s), Team X-Men & Original Character(s)
Series: Avenge me, please [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1697695
Comments: 20
Kudos: 62





	1. I could do it all day

**Author's Note:**

> Second part of "Avenge me, please". You can definitely read that one without reading the first part.  
> Essential info: Thea is Rhodey's niece (she is not underage). She spent some times with Tony (he is family) at the tower. It's her first time in New-York. 
> 
> Some of the characters are OOC. I know it, you know it, let's move on. It's not crack but it could be seen as OOC. Thor is kind of dark, but not really. He is certainly not villain material, so relax. There is no non-con, Thea is 100% consenting.
> 
> Enjoy the ride!

Bucky was trying to concentrate on the movie they all (Tony, Steve and Bucky) were watching but found it difficult. Thea had laid her head on his lap and he was slowly but surely on his way to become too aroused to care about the stupid love story between the main protagonists. All he cared for was **_her_** head on **_his_** lap.

"Buck, is everything ok?" Steve asked worried.

He answered nonverbally. He wasn’t sure to be able to talk, right now. But Steve didn’t take the hint.

"Is everything ok with Thea? If she is too heavy, we can move her", he offered.

Bucky almost growled. Steve finally backed off and leaned toward Tony who looked at them weirdly. Tony shook his head at their antics and went back to the movie. Bucky relaxed on the couch and caressed Thea’s head. She nuzzled her nose on his groin and he almost bucked. God…he wasn’t trying to do that. He stopped touching her hair thinking she’d go back to her initial place, but she didn’t. She whined and kept on pressing her head on his lap. Bucky’s eye went almost too wide for his own concern. He felt on fire. His penis was already half-hard from the ministration. He had to force himself to stop from grinding his own hips onto her face. Images of her sucking his dick off and riding him, in front of the others almost made him cum. God, that was too bad.

He leaned onward and pushed his hips further in the couch. She groaned and tried to get closer.

"Is everything ok?" Tony asked, this time.

"Yeah. I was too hot"

"Hot?" Steve asked already frowning.

"Yes, punk. She is as hot as a furnace and I was afraid she couldn’t breathe underneath the plaid."

Tony was staring at him dead in the eyes. Bucky knew he couldn’t have known but still, it made him twitch. Steve was looking at Thea and caressing her hair. She mewled, in response, and got closer to Bucky, who groaned.

Both men smiled mockingly.

Bucky flipped them off and grabbed quickly the plaid to cover her head. He also threw one hell of a glare which didn’t seem to affect either and focused on the movie. Or so he pretended. He felt her slowly mouthing his shorts. Bucky gasped softly and blinked his eyes unsure of what to do and shocked. He didn’t dare look under the plaid and not even one inch of his body moved.

He felt his short being tugged and his hard penis sprung free. He hissed at the sudden pleasure and closed his eyes. He should push her away, push her away…  
He moaned as she closed her mouth on the tip of his dick, gently caressing the slit with her tongue. His resolution melt like a popsicle under the sun.

He didn’t care anymore if Tony and Steve found out. She was too good.

"Buck?"

"Fuck," he moaned, as he grinded slowly into her willing mouth.

Bucky blinked his eyes open and saw shock and disbelief in Tony and Steve’s eyes. He didn’t have enough in him to care. The tip of his dick hit the back of her throat making his toes clenched.

God, Bucky laid back, enjoying her nice wet mouth.

Steve didn’t receive the memo. He took off the plaid and froze.

"What is…"

Tony had his mouth open. For the first time, he didn’t have a perfect reply. Thea still eyes closed was bobbing his erection like a lollipop. She went on all four, ass toward the two other men.

"God," whispered Steve with reverence. Tony wasn’t far behind.

"She is so wet already," he whispered.

Bucky groaned as her took one of his balls in his mouth. He gripped her hair and slapped her face with his dick. She looked absolutely debauched, eyes half closed, drool all over her face and precum on her eyelashes. Bucky changed position. He stood up and forced her to change direction, so her pussy was facing him.

  
He threw one look at Steve and Tony and saw the latter unzipping Steve’s pants and pulling his dick out. Steve was pretty much out of it, staring dazingly at her face. Bucky forced himself to concentrate on the dripping vulva. He took a first lick and tasted it on his tongue. Good lord…his dick was throbbing. He didn’t waste time and pushed his face onto her vulva. Licking her clit like a lollipop.

If only she had sat on his face, he whined. That’ll be for a next time.

Once he felt she was adequately wet, he backed away and kneeled behind. He played a few times with his penis before caressing her vulva with it, until he was nicely wet. He bit his tongue when the tip got caught at her entrance. Jesus. He only had time to see Thea taking for the first time Steve in her mouth that he pushed slowly forward. His eyes fluttered without his permission the more he felt her hot, wet grip…God…he felt himself giggle at the amazing feeling. He self-control didn’t last long. His dick needed some friction and his heavy balls release.

He slammed into her, pushing her forward. Steve gurgled something and his moaned was music to him. Bucky. Couldn’t. Stop. Moving. His eyes, when open, didn’t stray away from the heavenly view of Thea’s pussy stretched around him. He thrusted again and again amazed by her.

  
Rapidly, he felt his balls growing tighter and only one thing tipped him over: Bucky cumming inside of her greedy pussy. Without condom. Breeding the hell out of her. His thrusts grew frantic, and after one particular deep one, she came. Her walls massaged thoroughly his dick, triggering his own climax. Her inside milked him to the bone. He was sure his soul was leaving his body.  
  


Bucky heaved and leaned forward for a second, a minute or hour. He had lost all conception of the time and was drained physically and mentally. He took multiple shuddery breaths.

"Stop," he ordered in a raspy voice.

Thea didn’t listen and continued moving against him. Bucky slapped her ass with his metal hand making her scream and recoil.

"What the hell? Could you warn a guy before doing that Buck! She had my dick in her mouth," Steve yelped, shocked and somewhat aroused.

Bucky gave his best smile. An exhausted one.

"What did you want anyway?" Tony asked, suspiciously. He hadn’t stop jerking off since they all started.

"I had this position in my mind. It will be beneficial for both of you," Bucky explained simply.

Tony had now a mischievous and send a look to Steve.

"Ok, Buck, we trust you."

Bucky helped Thea getting on her knees and explained his plan.

"Since what happened with Thor, I’m sure she can take more than one dick."

"You are sure?"

"Yes. Didn’t you watch her getting dicked down by Thor? I had never seen that in my life…"

"True," Tony admitted with hunger in his voice.

Steve didn’t reply but his pupils were blown. They could have never forgotten how Thor had treated her and came in her like she was his to use. The mindblowing sex Tony and Steve had afterward was proof enough. Steve had kept fucking Tony until he passed out and when he woke up, Steve dick was already in him. Stretching him to the max. He hadn’t been able to walk for a few days and was incapacitated for at least one day. Steve had only taken care of him after getting fully satiated. Exactly what Tony had needed, for someone to take the reign and use him.

Bucky put Thea on Steve’s lap, facing him. Steve didn’t waste any time and tear her top off. He nuzzled his face between her breasts and pinched her nipples. She gurgled and writhed under his ministration. God…Bucky felt his dick twitched and he frowned at it. Not now.

  
Tony placed himself behind her and grabbed her butt cheeks prying them open.

"God Bucky, she is still dripping from your cum.” Thea moaned as Tony pressed a finger inside her. “Are you sure she can take it? From where I am, she is still tight."

Bucky stroke his erection. He had long stopped hoping it would go away.

"Yep. Thor told me that the potion he gave her, made her body ready to accommodate. I didn’t have time to verify that. But if you want, I could fist her with my left arm."

Thea turned around quickly, eyed his arm and tears came down her cheeks. She was vibrating with lust. Steve grumbled at the loss of nipples in his mouth and attacked her neck instead.

"Bucky…"she moaned wantonly; eyes now focused on his dick.

"My eyes are up there, doll," he joked, his left hand stroking his aching erection.

Thea groaned when Tony pressed two fingers into her.

"I’m ready, please…please…so empty…" she cried.

Steve nodded and kissed her softly. She mewled and went lax on his chest. As she relaxed, and with Tony’s fingers still in her, Steve penetrated her swiftly. She choked on his tongue and her moan was swallowed by Steve. By the time, he let her breath, she was bouncing on his dick.

"Oh, so good! So full…Steve…God…"

"No just a kid from Brooklyn," he answered slightly out of breath.

Since the video Steve had dreamt doing her. And maybe his fantasies had been a little vanilla because this, right now, destroyed anything he had imagined.

  
Bucky chuckled and went behind Tony.

"How is it going, genius?" he asked in his ear.

Tony shivered and bucked.

"G…good, but I’m not so…"

Bucky kissed him to erase his doubts. He pushed him to kneel, and, still kissing him, he reached for his dick and pressed it against Thea’s entrance.  
Steve stopped thrusting and kissing her.

"Wai…wait. JARVIS can you record everything and send it to the team, no matter where they are, please."

"Yes, sir."

Bucky and Tony eyed Steve in surprise. Where was there vanilla boy? He didn’t even look embarrassed.

"What?” Steve shrugged. “She is ours. And the others would die from jealousy seeing her like that."

"Only you, Steve, only you," Bucky laughed.

"Fuck?" Thea said sadly in a little voice as she reached for Tony’s dick, trying to get in it.

"Oh sweetheart, don’t worry, we’re going to take care of you," Tony reassured her. He grabbed her hands and placed them back on Steve’s shoulders.

Tony watched Bucky hold his dick and slap it against Steve’s one. His toes curled. Tony had doubt that he could fit in, let even enter. Steve was snuggled inside her and even as a genius he couldn’t find a way in.

Bucky didn’t have this problem. He pressed two long metallic fingers inside her and scissored her gently. Some cum and slick came out of her dripping onto the metallic arm. Bucky grumbled and spitted on the now open entry. Thea hissed and tried to press on his fingers, but Steve didn’t relax his grip on her hips.  
Tony was experimenting all that with a passivity he didn’t even know he had, until he felt the tip of his dick being place next to the fingers of Bucky.

"Slowly, Tones, slowly," Bucky whispered eyes trained on the point of their connection. He pushed Tony’s body into Thea. His eyes rolled in their orbit without his consent. He felt himself laughing hysterically. It was so good. Too good. Already his balls grew tight. It was too much and not enough. Her wet walls trapped his dick good and pressed him against Steve’s own erection.

Tony moaned at that thought. Steve was so hard against him.

"God, I’m not going to last long."

"It…it’s…” Steve took a sharp breath “…me too for what is worth."

"Come on, you can move Tony."

Tony forced himself to open his eyes and the sight in front of him almost made him come. Steve’s dick was sliding next to his in this tight body. Thea’s walls were pressing them together trying to make them fusion and…he shuddered as he was balls deep. He couldn’t be more pressed against Steve, even if he wanted to.

"Now let’s the show begin," Bucky said as he laid back legs open.

It took a second for them to work it out but at the end they were moving like one body. Moving like a unit. In and out together. The first time they had gone out totally, Steve had taken both of their dick thrusted back carefully into her. Thea had bucked and cried out their names. But they didn’t stop.

They couldn’t.

They knew she wasn’t hurt otherwise they’d had stopped but hearing her voice, raspy, break as they fucked her into oblivion was a treat. Tony thrusted deeply and felt it. His orgasm. One look toward Steve’s blown eyes and they accelerated. Thea was sobbing. Her body was firmly trapped between them and she couldn’t move if she wanted to. After all, she was theirs to use.

Steve wasn’t faring well. After all these years with the serum, he had never truly been out of breath and that hot. He felt drugged on adrenaline. He pressed Thea against him more firmly and kissed Tony. It was so good. Thea was biting the tendon of his neck and without the serum, she would have pierced the skin. The pain from the bite, the sloppy kisses and his dick pressed upon Tony made him come.

His body arched, breaking their kiss. He kept thrusting, thanks the serum, and pushed Tony to come. The sensation of his and Tony come around him was the final reward. Thea’s walls around them spammed and pressed them painfully together. Steve’s toes were totally curled. That. That was fantastic.

Tony fell down on them. Their balls emptying themselves in Thea. Steve closed his eyes and let himself fly.

Bucky was gobsmacked. Literally. He couldn’t…think straight…that is… Whoah. He already came and was hard in a few seconds. He didn’t know what was happening to him but he wanted to experiment that also. All of it. Lost in his thoughts he didn’t noticed the electricity in the air.

"Truly a beautiful, scene," Thor commented next to Bucky who jumped in the air.

"Thor? What are you doing…here?"

"Our fellow friend Jarvis sent me the video. I had to come directly here to chase my relief."

Bucky frowned. Wasn’t he back with Jane?

"And what about Jane?"

Thor smirked.

"Jane is nothing but a friend."

"Really? But…we thought you were back together."

Thor took off his clothes and set Mjöllnir on the table. His more than humanly average dick was at the same level as Bucky’s face. He licked his lips and averted his eyes to look straight into the blue eyes of Thor who was smirking.

"After what happened with Miss Thea, I’m afraid Jane couldn’t compete."

"Compete?"

"I had sexual intercourse with Miss Jane, but she was not the same. I had to hide who I truly was with her because of her rather bland views on sexual intercourse. Plus, I had more in common with young Thea than Jane. Our late conversations are something that I treasure deeply."

As Thor was talking, he dissembled Tony and laid him gently on the couch. Then, he lifted Thea from Steve. A leak of cum erupted from the moment Steve was out. She whimpered but Thor cradled her and pressed her against Bucky’s chest like he did with Steve. The whimpers stop when she was pushed down on Bucky dick. Eyes bulged and slightly dazed, Bucky look over her shoulder. Thor laid himself on her completely, knocking the air out of his breath, but who cared. He caressed Thea’s hair pressed a kissed on her head. Bucky felt a pang of sadness. He knew Thor only swung that way, but he wished he could be also kissed.

As if he had read his thought, Thor placed his hands next to his head and lowered himself. As he did, Bucky closed his eyes. Thor’s lips felt like rain and thunder. Electricity shot into his body, burning each of his nerves. He felt as if he was coming again and again…His tongue played with Bucky’s and as the kiss went wilder. Thor pressed himself in.

Thea tensed in pain. Bucky for a split second tried to focus on what was important. She was not liking it at all.

"Thor, she is crying…"

Thor eyes shone brightly. He stopped moving and whispered to her ears.

"You know that I’m going to fuck you hard whether you relax or not, Thea. (Bucky eyes widened in arousal and fear) My threat from last time hold. You are here for our pleasure and we grant you the right to come. We are far more generous than what you deserve. You’re ours. No one else will touch you like that and if they dare, we’ll kill them. You’ll be our Wife and Mother of our children, each of us, he punctuated with small thrusts that got him deeper."

Weirdly enough, he little talk helped her relax a bit and Bucky wondered, what they did to the universe to deserve her. Truly, there was something they may have did to have been granted her lover as pliant and devious as them. When Thor talked about siring children, Bucky’s had seen himself fucking her while she was heavily pregnant and writhing, totally covered in cum from the others.

Jesus…they were in too deep.

Thor kneeled and gripped her hips. Bucky knew by the look he made they were at a crossroad. Before he could warn Thor and stop him, Thea kneeled also almost sitting on Thor’s lap. She put her hand on his forced them to move to her breast then her throat. Bucky slapped her butt and her eyes rolled. Thor tightened his grip on her throat.

"Lord has some mercy," he murmured with wonder.

"I told you she was perfect for us, Bucky," Thor growled, eyes on Bucky, "And next, I’ll fuck you into the couch and leave you aching for my cock, so you’ll know how it is to be touched by a God."

Bucky bucked and his skin prickled from the praises. Jesus. Thor had no right looking at him that way and saying those worse. To make the matter worse, Thea decided to act like the good girl she was and forced her body on Thor.

The God screamed loudly, thunder cracking in the room. Each breath he was taking was a rumble of thunder. Bucky was laying passively, spectator of all this. Thor shone with power, Thea’s mahogany’s skin looked like molten bronze and Bucky’s breath was taken away. He was dead and came back. That was the only solution. Thor was still not moving but his surprised face turned into a possessive one. Thea, she, was wilding on their dicks. She pushed further and further, not slowing down for a second.

"Thor, please…I want to come," he begged Thor to move.

"Yes, my love," Thor answered softly, stopping Thea in her track. She rested upward. Her skin was wet, her breath erratic and her eyes shone some sadness and hurt that quickly disappeared. Bucky tried to talk and ask her what was happening when Thor started moving.

Slowly first.

The drag on his dick made him forget everything he wanted to ask Thea. Everything disappeared but their bodies intertwined. It didn’t take long before Bucky climaxed. It took him by surprise. His body had been on edge for the past couple of minutes or seconds and he was sur he could have come right after Thor entered. Thea face was hidden in the crook of his neck. He couldn’t focus on everything else. He felt so big in his skin, the tingling sensation of Thor’s electricity…

  
A loud thunder cracked in the room and just like that, Thor came. Cum kept on splashing and surrounding his dick. He came again from the pressure again. His stomach was lurching from all that climaxed. Thor laid on them, like Tony had done with Steve. But this time, all of them are awake…at least Thor and Bucky. Thea’s head didn’t move from its place and he concluded she may have passed out like the others. Thor pressed his head on Bucky’s.

"My Love, how do you feel?"

Bucky blushed. He had…no one had ever called him that with such a fond tone.

"Good. But shouldn’t you ask that to Thea? She is the one who’s practically out."

Thor huffed dismissively. Bucky shook his head amused.

"You are my fellow, Bucky."

"And she is our “Wife”, you said, Thor."

Thor rolled his electrical blue eyes.

"In Asgard, fellowship is more important than common marriage. I’d lay my life for you…"

Bucky gasped softly and let the words washed away his uncertainty. He nuzzled his head in Thea coily hair and inhale.

"And I for you…"

"And us for you, two, Tony said half awake."

Bucky turned his head and saw Steve smiling at him softly. He wanted to cry and hide and run a marathon and sleep for a few days. He felt so giggly…  
Thea moved and whimpered. Thor moved out of her, cradled her and laid her down on the sofa near the window. He grabbed some cushions and a plaid and cover her gently. She turned her back on them and curled.

There was something so heartbreaking in her demeanor. He couldn’t tell what. Thor came back on the couch and kissed forehead.

"What is going on in your head, my Love?"

"I don’t remember, but did she climax, too?"

"Is it really a pressing matter, right now?"

Bucky opened his mouth then shut it, not finding anything to add. Thor lifted Bucky who squealed.

"I can walk, Thor."

"I know, but after exerting yourself you should be pampered."

Bucky let himself get hold, but as they all went out of the communal room, he swore he heard Thea sob. Then Thor kissed him and made him all forget.


	2. A broken toy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of their orgy.  
> Thea is left to battle her own demons aka subspace/lack of aftercare/stupid thoughts, but fear not, Fate decides to give her give her some relief. And by Fate I mean a particulary nice AI, a green man and a large tool.

As the elevator closed, Thea sobbed harder. Her cries resonated in the empty living room.

“Miss? You seem distressed, do you want me to call any…” JARVIS said worried.

“No," she screamed. "No,” she repeated softer. She took a few deep breaths and sat gingerly on the cover. She was aching and could feel their semen slipping out. She fought her nausea and focused on the most important. “Are you still recording for the others?”

“Yes, miss.”

“Could you please stop and erase when from when they left, please? I don’t want them to see me like this.”

“Of course, Miss.”

“Thanks,” she replied in a little voice.

She shook her head slowly. She couldn’t understand what just happened. Everything has started well, and… next thing she knows, her heart ached and the sweet taste of the pleasure turned sourer. She couldn’t believe how stupid she’d been. She had imagined…

“I thought they cared about me,” she admitted to no one in particularly. “I thought we had something. As weird as it sounds. I thought…”

She sobbed in her hands and let herself fall on the floor.

“Miss Carmelia, please, let me alert someone.”

“No! Please JARVIS, don’t call anyone. I don’t want them to…pity me. Poor old me, believing someone would actually give two fucks about me. I didn’t even…I should have known better.”

“If I may say, they care about you, Miss. I have analyzed all of their interaction and they always talked fondly about you.”

“Because I have slept with each of them. I brought them pleasure and the…how can they hate me JARVIS? But I’m just as good as a fucktoy." She chocked on her words, as she remembered their last encounter. "I was right there. I thought we were doing some kind of scene, you know, I don’t mind being objectified. But the way Thor talked to Bucky as if I was not there at all, just a thing with no feeling. And he didn’t even care if I came…”

She cried harder, until her chest hurt from the lack of oxygen and her head exploded from the pain. She could feel a bubble in her chest expanding each time she inhaled. She wanted to go on a rampage, to scream, cry, throw things on the floor, anything to ease her tumultuous feelings. Instead, she fell on her knees. The movement pushed more cum out of her dirty body, making her gag. She stayed down bowing on the floor, hand stretched forward as she begged for some help…

When she thought she’d finally lose herself in her mind, a wave of calmness overcame her. Time slowed down, her vision tunneled, the floor underneath her knees felt softer, the entire universe embraced her in a warm cocoon, reminding her of her mom's arms.

Protection.

Power.

Thea slowly came out off her trance. Her breathing was under control, her skin felt less tight and dirty. She was even buzzing with a foreign energy. Something coming from her hand which traveled through her arm to the rest of her body. She unclenched her fingers and was surprised to find an obstacle.

Wait, what?

She raised her head and immediately jerked away. What the…

“I have called…”

“No! JARVIS I told you not. I’m okay. Please! Just this one, until I figure this out.” She almost screamed, scared. What was happening to her?

A minute of silence passed. She didn’t move nor looked away from the object in her hand. It must be a joke. She repressed the bubble of laugh from coming out of her mouth. JARVIS had been too conciliant already. He would not let that go.

“I have ended the call and erased the message. But at any problem, I would ring the alarm.”

“Ok.”

She thanked God for JARVIS's protocol and intelligence. She would have been ashamed if anyone had picked up the phone and come to her. Plus, how could she have explained what just happened. She still couldn’t believe it and she didn't dare asking JARVIS for confirmation. She didn’t want to have the certitude that she was losing it.

In her hand was Mjöllnir. Thor’s legendary hammer. Thor’s legendary hammer which is only supposed to be lifted by a person worth it. She opened her mouth, then closed it. She needed to get her facts straight.

She had summoned Mjöllnir and it came to her. Why was she able to do it? Had Thor succeeded in impregnating her? Could it be possible for her to lift it because of the presence of his semen in her? A few more other questions travelled her mind quickly. What if she was pregnant? She placed a hand on her belly and rubbed it.

No. You are getting stupid, you are not pregnant, she reassured herself. Bruce had given her a personalized birth control, way more secure than the one sold on the market. And the sole thought of bringing a child in this mess was not comforting. She couldn’t pretend to be detached while all the people she had come to love…didn’t return the same feelings.

“Miss Carmelia,” JARVIS warned. “Your heartbeat is too high.”

Thea understood the threat and tried to control her breathing. No. Maybe she was worthy because there was still his cum in her...It could act as a vector of his powers. She tried to find other explanations but neither made her feel good. She decided to put Mjöllnir back at its place. What if Thor could tell it had been lifted? What if Mjöllnir told him?

Amid her calmness, the buzzing, which has been firstly overwhelming, had turned into a soft murmur. She couldn’t really describe it, but she was sure Mjöllnir could communicate and share feelings or memories. And she was strangely unmoved by it. The entire situation left her…empty. She dug deeper inside her feelings to find a strand of fear or revolt. None. She didn’t know if she liked it better when she was actively losing her mind.

Thea heard the elevator and stopped in her track. Please don’t come here, she thought.

The elevator halted on this floor. No…

“JARVIS who is it?” She asked in a hurry as she leaped on the couch face toward the elevator.

“Mister Banner, Miss.”

Thea sighed, relieved. He was the only one who treated her accordingly and treated her preciously after their scenes. Like Thor did before tonight. She forced her face to remain stoic. It was hard. So fucking hard.

“Thea? JARVIS, how long has she been like that alone?”

“Thirty minutes, Mister Banner.”

He huffed disapprovingly and approached lightly. Thea almost flinched when Bruce’s hand caressed her face. He grabbed her like a princess and walked toward the elevator. She half opened her eyes and glanced at the Mjöllnir. The murmurs were still present in her head. Her entire body seemed to vibrate under its power. She almost feared that Bruce noticed she was awake.

The Hammer was trying to find a way in her mind, and she couldn’t resist anymore.

As she let go, the millennia of knowledge on the Universes imprinted themselves in her.

Images of galaxies, suns, moons, beings with different skintones, heights, languages, cultures, lives…ran through her.

Death and Life slipped through her fingers like silk. She could feel them all: all the ones who lost their lives, all the one who was granted to live…

She closed her eyes on the command of Mjöllnir.

_Sleep my child._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still don't know what kind of powers she will have. I don't want her to be all powerful and turn into a Mary Sue. We still have two chapters before her power(s) are discussed. I hesitate between immortality - she would have the strength of Mjöllnir which is in Norse mythology unbreakable and the most powerful tool in the universe - or Thunder like Thor, or, she could be a human Mjöllnir: create electricity, rain, thunder etc. + immortal + ability of flying.


	3. She fled before I could realize I was wrong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after is always difficult. It's a new day, which means new challenges, and when you hadn't really faced the ones from the day before, it can become a little too overwhelming.  
> We deal with the aftermath of bad aftercare (no aftercare in this case). 
> 
> Oh and I write the Hammer with a capital "H" because it is sentient and there is only one Mjöllnir.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you are all well and staying inside, if you can.  
> This pandemic had made me realize that life is too short to not live it as I wanted and I hope that, if we have the chance to get out of this alive, we'll all jump on the occasion to have fun and work on our mental health and happiness, which should be our number one goal.  
> A few weeks ago, I had the Covid-19, and all I could think is regrets. Activities I was afraid to do because of my body issues, people I couldn't meet because of procrastination, and my dreams which kept wilting under the duress of my laziness. 
> 
> I pray for everyone and I hope you will all get THE wake-up call (without catching the Covid-19).

Thea woke up alone. Not that she was surprised. After last night, she would have probably had another breakdown if someone had gone in bed with her. She was sore and dirty as mentally than physically.

She braced herself, stood up, wobbling on her feet and worked her way to the bathroom. She stood in the shower naked and turned the water on. The cold water hit her back but instead of shrieking as she usually does, she stood still. The low temperature brought back some images from the Mjolnir true power: Ultimate strength.

She squatted down and washed her private parts thoroughly. Now she was thinking about it, it wasn't the first time Mjöllnir had reached her. There was some times when she’d thought her tinnitus worsened. She was so used to abnormal background noises that she hadn't really paid any attention to the source of the buzzing. Only when she had been in dire need of help, the Hammer had been louder and had came straight to her.

After going through the motion of the memories, she could now understand what Thor meant about fellowship. It’s true that companions were like an only body, fighting, loving and grieving together. It wasn’t like a wife and her husband.

No.

It was a stronger feeling, a link that couldn't be broken, even by death.

It didn’t lessen Thea’s pain and anger. This boiling sensation rising in the pit of her stomach didn't come from her. She barely had enough strength to do her daily ablutions. She surely couldn't muster an ounce of pure anger.

Thea dried herself with her mom’s favorite fuzzy towel. She pressed her nose in it and sniffed the scent of her mom’s washing liquid. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Mom, where are you? I need you, she thought, sadly. Tears pooled in her closed eyes, but she kept them trapped. You are strong, you are strong, she repeated as mantra.

She took a last deep breath, straightened her back and went into her closet. She didn’t want to be her habitual flamboyant self today. She felt so much sorrow an emptiness that she couldn’t bear seeing them looking at her, ogling her like an object. Even though it was her fault in the first place.

As she entered the occupied kitchen, all their conversations came to a halt. Mjöllnir was at Thor’s feet and she…God, she had to calm down.

Don't look at the Hammer, don't look at the damn Hammer, she repeated firmly in her head.

“Hey,” she waved her hand and sat on the only empty chair, between Bucky and Steve. Mjöllnir was buzzing, raging in her heart. And just like that, she could hear each sound, each breath, see each molecule, feel the earth under the building. The oppressing feeling stopped as quick as it started. She took a shuddered breath and tried to keep it calm. Would she ever going to get used to its presence in her mind?

“Thea,” Bucky asked worried.

She hummed.

“Are you okay?”

Now, you care, she thought viciously. She blinked shocked by her mental outburst. As she checked her feelings, she finally noticed the anger. It seeped in her mind under the form of a vicious snake in the grass. It was slowly hissing, body moving silently through the grass before it attacked. She contemplated the snake with interrogation. She knew it’d never hurt her. That, she was sure of. Its eyes gleamed in the darkness of her thoughts like two stars in a dark sky.

It hissed before going back into her darkness. She was about to follow it –

“Thea?” Tony asked, concerned.

She opened her eyes and blinked a few times to erase the image of the snake. She admitted her defeat when it wouldn’t disappear. The snake had wanted to tell her something. Its hiss had made sense. It had resonated in her soul like an indubitable fact. But when she tried to remember what it truly meant; the words wouldn’t come.

She shook her head, feeling slightly annoyed, and raised her eyes. They all looked…really worried. Thea sighed and pushed down her unrequited feelings. They didn’t feel sad because they loved her but because she was their ward and Rhodey would kick their ass. She smirked at that thought. He so would. And maybe hers too. At that thought her smile diminished. 

“Are you okay?” Natasha asked calmly.

“’m fine,” she replied while eating her waffles.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Nat’", she replied, exasperated. Thea met Natasha's piercing eyes. She knew that if she tried to smile, Nat’ would detect the fakeness. She was surprised the other hadn’t already noticed. For superheroes, they were shams.

“Ok,” Natasha conceded, still staring at her.

Bruce also was observing her. After last night, she didn't want to think about his kindness and care. She wanted to stay strong in front of them. She knew deep down that they were not all black or white but a vibrant grey color. They had never really hurt and that’s why she had to take drastic measures. She couldn’t fell into this emotional rollercoaster. There was no place for her in their relationship. That’s why her only solution was avoidance. At first, she had wanted to call that fleeing, but she didn’t want to seem like a coward. Then, a retreat would imply that they had attacked, and she was forced to back off, which was untrue. Only the term avoidance put them on the same level.

She could feel Bucky and Steve’s inquisitive eyes watching her every move. She was starting to feel claustrophobic. Her body was tensed, her movements jerky and her mind ran circles. She willed her body to relax. The last thing she wanted was to set the two nonagenarian Cerberus on her track.

“Anyway, we saw the video and you could have waited for us!” Clint complained, raising his fork in the air. Eggs flew around him. Nat’ sent him a death glare. He grimaced and lowered his fork slowly, mumbling an apology. Only when he put back his fork on the table, Nat’ turned back to her.

“Next time,” Bucky chuckled, somewhat still awkwardly. There was some edge in his voice. Thea pretended to not have noticed his worried glances. She was almost sure that he knew how she really felt or had at least some suspicions.

“Indeed, next time,” repeated Thor. He leaned toward Bucky and kissed him on the lips. Thea recoiled slightly. As she gazed away, she fell on Natasha’s assessing eyes. Instead of trying to engage with her, Thea put a large portion of her waffle in her mouth and focused on eating the rest of her plate, quickly.

A few days prior, she had been more than excited to listen to them talking about her like that, negotiating what they could do, her safewords and kinks. But now she could mostly feel the fear and disgust as she listened to them planning another go with her. She only felt more ashamed when she felt a part of her getting aroused. What was wrong with her?

Normally, her kink laid strongly into that kind of play. But the feeling she had for each of them was more than lust and she couldn’t…she swallowed her sob and teary eyes. She pretended to choke to hide her tears. Steve slapped a few times onto her back.

“Here, here, it’s okay. Breathe deeply now.”

She accepted the glass of water he handed her.

“It happens to the best of us," he said softly.

“Your gag reflex is off, little girl,” Bucky joked, his inquisitive eyes still on her. "Last night you had no problem taking us, right Stevie?"

Steve's face became as red as the rage flowing in her veins. She was used to the lewd comments and would normally be aroused. But today, it rubbed her the wrong way. The snake hissed louder to push her to strike. She dabbed her mouth with a tissue. The triangular head appeared briefly behind her eyelids, remining her of its ominous presence.

"Really, Steven? I arrived a little too late to enjoy the sight of you chasing your relief in Thea's throat", Thor complained.

Thea forced herself to drink and unclenched her hand. She pretended to smile, not looking at anyone specifically. She thanked God for the glass of water. Without she would have never been able to hide her grimace. And if the situation wasn’t already nauseating Mjollnir was singing to her ears, calling her, pressing her to lift it. At the verge of giving in and reaching for it, she quickly stood up.

“Whoa there,” Steve exclaimed, stabilizing her.

“Sorry," she said quickly. "I…have forgotten my meeting. I’m going to be late.” She took her plate and glass and put it in the dishwasher. “I will be out for the day.”

“You don’t have to rush like that. I could tell Happy to drive you there,” Tony offered.

Thea could hear the murmurs between Natasha and Bruce and tuned them out. They had figured you out, you have to bounce, she thought hastily.

“Oh, I thought you’d stay with us,” Thor offered, as if he really cared.

She didn’t hate any of them. But she hated how they made her feel. Hated to feel cared off when Thor was using this soft, caring tone. When all of this was pretense. She hid her trembling fingers in her hoodie pockets.

“We’d take care of you,” he continued, his eyes drifted to Bucky and the rest of them. The lust in his eyes turned into longing, love, which was easily reciprocated.

The Hammer moved a little. Enough to calm her down and reassure her. They don’t care about you. They don’t really like you’d wanted to.

“No,” she said firmly, surprising all of them. “I have things to do. Don’t wait for me tonight. Actually, we’ll probably see each other in two days”, she finished swiftly and took off. She didn’t let them chase her, and she made a beeline to the elevator. It was working. She was almost free. Jarvis opened the doors and let her in.

She heard quick footsteps and Nat's voiced.

_It was too late._


	4. Don't stop me now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One elevator ride. Two allies found. One happy young girl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey!   
> Sorry for the wait. I didn't know people would appreciate the story and I was both mortified and thrilled by it. It is my first fanfic in English and I posted it as a dare, to prove myself that I could do it, despite some insecurities. So thanks for all the kudos and comments! 
> 
> I have corrected and added some more details in the previous chapters. If you don't want to read them, don't worry I got you! 
> 
> Thea sees a kind of snake in her mind. It can exacerbate her own feelings. The snake is the representation of Mjöllnir.

“JARVIS, down please,” she asked urgently.

The door closed before Nat’ could reach her. Thea slumped on the wall, trying to make sense of her thoughts. One minute too late and…she closed her eyes and sigh. She’d rather not think about that right now. Nothing proved that she was free, yet.

Why did she have to be in love with superheroes?

She quickly went over her last-minute plan and asked Jarvis if he had the number of Charles Xavier, from the school of mutants. In the night, before falling asleep, she’d remembered about him and how he helped people around the world.

“I have taken the liberty to connect the call to your phone. As I was made to protect the privacy of the tower guests, there will be no recording of your conversation. I will cut the recording feed for the time of your call.”

Thea closed her mouth in a click. She pressed her hand on her heart and leaned forward to thank him.

“Thanks Jarvis, you are truly amazing.”

“Don’t mention it, Miss. I do pride myself in being able to take care of each resident in the tower. After all, you all are important.”

Thea was finding it hard not to cry. She blinked quickly, head leaning backward. The words repeated themselves like a balm on her bruised heart. An AI had more consideration for me than actual human beings. What was life.

“Professor Xavier, who may you be?”

Thea jumped at the sound of the voice. How long has he been on? Could he have listened to their conversation? She really had reached a new low if it was the case.

“Theodore Carmelia. I live with the Avengers and something kind of happened to me. Something magical…supernatural.” She grimaced. Great summary. 10 out of 10. You couldn’t do better even you really tried hard, she thought, cringing her awkwardness. “I just want to ask a question. I know you must have a busy schedule but…”

Her voice cracked.

“It’s okay, Theodore, it’s okay. If it’s true that I have a busy schedule, one question shouldn’t be too much,” he joked.

Thea let an inaudible relieved sigh. The elevator seemed to speed up.

“I know you can sense mutants. I would like to know if you could feel anything -”

“About you?” He finished.

She hummed, her feet tapping rhythmically on the floor.

“I don’t feel anything.”

Her breath hitched. Oh, well. She didn’t let the disappointment show. Although he said he couldn’t find her, she could feel Xavier in her mind, roaming through her memories and emotions. She cleared her throat.

“Does it always feel like that?”

“What?”

“When you go into someone’s head. Does it always feel like a breeze? I swear my head is lighter.”

He didn’t reply and Thea feared she already messed up. She glanced towards the numbers on the screen above the doors. 20 floors left. She refrained from pressing the buttons or even asking JARVIS to go faster. Not sure if she voiced her stress, but the elevator went almost into a free fall. She stumbled and grabbed the wall behind her.

“How did you know?” He replied, taken aback.

“I can feel your presence going through my memories. I can concentrate on what I’m doing, but I know there is something…someone in my head. It is nor oppressive nor friendly. I don’t know really know how to explain, sorry.”

“Hm.”

The presence was still there. Not moving nor searching through her memories anymore. Thea grew more confident and continued.

“I know I probably ask too much but I swear I’m not crazy or crying wolf. And I can show you what happened last night for you to tell me if it was some one-time incident.”

“Go on, my dear,” Professor Xavier replied pensive. He didn’t outright reject her idea and hung up on her. So that was a win in her book.

Thea concentrated on last night. As the scenes went spicier, she passed them faster and only slowed down to the most important parts: the one where she yielded Mjöllnir and the elevator. After a moment, there was still no response from Professor Xavier. She checked her phone and see that they were still on. She almost asked JARVIS if something had happened.

“Truly, impressive,” he complimented, clear surprise showing in his baritone voice.

“Thanks, I guess,” she answered, cheeks in flame.

“No, really. I have only seen a handful people do what you did, and they were already trained. I take that you controlled the speed, too?”

“Yes, Sir,” she replied, proudly.

“And you yielded the Hammer?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“And still, I can’t feel you,” he mused out loud. “Confusing confusion. But I am not one to back down facing a puzzle. I’d like you to come to me today. I’ll send Logan, Hank and Diablo to the Avengers tower –.”

“No, the Compound,” she corrected, quickly. She couldn’t suppress her shock and excitement. He really wanted to see her. She will see Professor Xavier and Wolverine. She suppressed her giggle. She couldn’t believe it. She’ll be able to talk to Wolverine. In person. It was definitely a dream come true.

“Ok. Do they know about any of these?” he asked suddenly.

They? Oh yes, the Avengers. The painful memories from last time came barging in her head. She gritted her teeth.

“No. They…don’t care like that,” she replied dismissively.

“Are you sure?”

She could hear the incredibility in his tone.

“Yep, I’m pretty sure. I’m just a hook up anyway.”

Xavier stayed silent for so long, she thought she had shocked him to death.

“You are important. Whether you have power or not, whether they like you or not. You are important,” he said, seriously. He didn’t try to convince her. In his voice, there was so much certitude. Like he’s known her for years and could see right through her.

She choked up as the words finally made their way in her brain. The phone was crushed in her hand, as the emotion overcame her. First Jarvis and Xavier…but why couldn’t the team think the same?

“Don’t let those feelings eat you up. If they can’t find the gem in you, it’s their own problem not yours.”

Before she could thank him, he hung up. She stared at her phone, mouth agape. Her entire frame trembled under her laugh. There was nothing funny, but the ridicule of the situation caught her off guard. She was really in a episode of X-files.

Who’d thought she’d sleep with all the Avengers and have powers? That she’d wield Mjöllnir? That she’d fuck with a God, two centenarian, two geniuses, two brilliant spies…her laugh turned hysterical. Her entire stay here was like the beginning of a bad joke.

She banged her head against the elevator room. A dull pain erupted behind her head. Maybe, it was a dream she’d wake up from.

The doors opened. Thea was not on the ground floor, like she expected, but the underground parking. She quickly spotted her cars and started walking.

“If I were you, I’d go faster, Miss. Bucky and Steve are taking the stairs and would be there in less than 5 minutes. Thor has taken the airway and is already in front of the building. Nonetheless, it would take them some time before they understand that you left the other way. “

“Thank you, Jarvis. Thank you for all!” She screamed while accelerating.

“My pleasure, Miss.”

She sprinted to her car and opened the door. She didn’t know if it was in her head, but she could hear faint footsteps. She sat, bucked up, started the car and pressed gas.

She was out long before they would catch her. The adrenaline made her heart haywire. Unable to resist, she let out a howled and giggled.

She was gone.


	5. What the fuck happened? (POV Team)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nat is losing patience.  
> Bruce is getting greener.  
> The entire situation is a mess or when the Avengers are stuck up with their feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll try to post on wednesdays and saturdays *crossed fingers*
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!

Avengers Tower

They all saw Thea almost running to the elevator. Nat’ was the first to move. She hadn’t been as shocked as the others because she expected it. Like Bruce, who was just behind her. When he told her about last night, how he found Thea in the communal room alone, Nat’ had been appalled.

It’s true that after watching the video, she had to take a few cold showers to repress her arousal. But after watching it again, this time closely, some things had seemed off. She hadn’t been able to tell what precisely, until Bruce and she talked – or more like when she tried to talk him out of destroying the entire tower. He had worked himself in a murderous fury. She had tried all the songs she’s known and a few child stories, with no success.

For the first time.

Nat’ remembered vividly being hopeless and scared for Bruce. Even though he had put himself in the Hulk-room for the reminder of the night, she hadn’t been able to shake off the reasons why he’d been so mad. When he came back to himself, at dawn, Bruce had long ranted on the lack of aftercare and the unease he had felt toward the end at Thor’s words. He had been so agitated, even under his human form, that he had fallen back into his old self-destructive ways. After a transformation so sudden, he used to scratch his forearms, punch the walls and starve himself.

Nat’ had deplored not being with him physically. She would have hugged him and provided some care: food, massage, or only her presence.

And then it clicked.

It was supposed to be normal, between them, to take care of the others or even to stay together. They were all well-documented on subspace and the dangers of letting the sub alone. Above all in a poly-relationship. Their scenes could get heavy and loaded really quick. They were so used to be with each other that they’d forget how difficult it could be for a sub. Even if some of them were switch, they never really lost themselves like Thea would do. She’d fall into subspace so beautifully that Nat’ has prayed to God every day to make it last.

Guess, this time he didn’t listen to her prayers.

Between the speech of Thor, the denying of basic care and attention for Thea, Nat’ had witnessed their train slowly get off rail. She knew deep down they had crossed a line. Bucky’s genuine concern and Thea’s body language have put her on edge. Nat’ had been undercover at that time. She hadn’t been able to call them nor ask JARVIS to put a halt on the scene.

Now, she regretted it more than anything. They should have been clearer about their relationship. They should have sat down, with Thea, and revealed their true intentions. All the things unsaid and the ambiguous situations piled up until they blew out. Like a huge pile of shit.

And now, Thea was gone. She was probably thinking that they played her and that they only saw her for her body and not mind. Sure, they were not nice people, but they’d never toy consciously with people. Unless it was a mission.

Thea had been honest from the beginning about everything. Her kinks, her lifestyle, what she wanted with them, and instead of admitting what they wanted, to have a real polyamorous relationship with her, they stayed silent. It wasn’t as if they didn’t care for her at all. She was curious, sarcastic, super smart and inventive, nice, and sexy.

What had been attractive about her wasn’t her beauty. Even at first. No, it had been her snark. She knew what she wanted, and she went for it. Along the lines, they had forgotten that behind that façade, there was someone. They sure as hell talked a lot about her. About their feelings and how hopeless they felt, but it seemed that they didn’t get their point across. She was everything they had wanted to complete them.

The team was one and as one, they tended to love the same kind of people and fight for the same causes. But when in love, they found it hard to find someone who wouldn’t ran away because of the number of partners involved or their lifestyle.

So, when Nat’ witnessed Thea dissociation and anxiety every time one of them made a suggestive remark, she knew she was right.

They had fucked up.

Nat’ ran after Thea and tried to reach her, but the doors closed. Thea hadn’t reply when they called after her. She didn’t even turn around.

“Jarvis, can you block the elevator?”

“I’m afraid, I can’t Miss Romanov,” Jarvis replied.

“Why not?” Tony asked, surprised.

“Miss Carmelia has an important meeting.”

Nat’ sighed and thanked Jarvis anyway. Tony muttered something about creating an AI too perfect.

“What’s happening?” Clint asked, confused. “Why did she run off like the devil was chasing her?”

“We’ll talk about that later. First, let’s find her, Steve and Bucky you take the stairs and Thor, the airway. Don’t let her go away.”

They came back a few minutes later. Without Thea. What a surprise, Nat’ thought bitterly. She glanced at Bruce who stared straight in front of him, jaw locked. She could vaguely see a hint of green on his skin.

“So, where is the wonder girl?” Clint asked.

“We didn’t see her leave,” Steve explained, not even out of breath.

“Thor, did you have any chance?” Clint continued, as Thor landed on the balcony. He swirled his hammer a few times, eyebrows frown. Clint was about to ask again - 

“Nay. I have scanned the entrance of the building and didn’t see her,” he replied pensive.

Natasha refrained herself from throttling them for their obvious lack of concern and took a deep breath instead. She had hope to salvage whatever the fuck, they managed to mess up, but with Thea gone and the idiots here, it might be more difficult.

“We have to talk,” she declared coldly. “Everyone in the living room. Now!”

The group settled quite calmly. Steve had a concentrated face, Bucky looked somewhat guilty and knowing, Bruce had still a hint of green in the eyes and didn’t look any of them, Thor was surprisingly lost in his thoughts and Tony…well Tony was looking rather sick.

Nat glanced at Bruce. “If you need to go to your room, I’ll understand.”

He growled, shaking his head vehemently. Nat looked at him for a couple of second and nodded, respecting his choice. She settled into Clint’s opened arms.

“What the fuck was that yesterday guys?”


	6. The God of Lightning, huh?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thea is finally safe with the X-men...or not.

The journey to the compound went faster than she thought. Thea had made sure to block every call from the Tower and thanks to JARVIS, they wouldn’t be able to find her before she would be long gone.

She watched the forest surrounding the compound and relaxed a bit. She still checked in the rear-view mirror if no one was following her on the road or in the sky. It wouldn’t be surprising if they sent Thor or any Stark Drones after her.

Thea sighed. It was getting ridiculous. She wasn’t a kid, and she could do whatever she wanted. Leaving the Tower should have not felt as if she was doing something wrong. They were not bounded to each other. They weren’t even together to begin with. So why did she feel guilty?

She parked in front of the large building, almost expecting someone from the Tower to come out and…and…but there was no one. She looked around for the last time, enjoying the birds chirping, the wind in the leaves whistling some mysterious tunes.

Thea waved at a few young teenagers eating on the grass. Interns, maybe? They looked at her quizzically but reciprocated with a joyful smile. Why did she wave? She cringed, accelerating her pace and keeping her head down until she was inside the building.

The first thing she noticed was the lack of security. There were no security guards in the building and seemingly no cameras. She squinted her eyes looking above her. Did they really believe that no one would try to attack them from the inside? They were isolated but the barrier would be no obstacle against intruders. And what about the airways? Anyone could land a jet in the middle of the “park”. It was – a blue streak passed in front of her. Thea froze. Was that?

“Hello!” a soft chirpy voice said behind her.

She spun around quickly, heart beating fast. The blue strike disappeared in a pop.

“Are you Thea?” 

She slowly turned around and faced…Diablo. Excitation and happiness rushed through her veins. She bit her lips hard enough to stop herself from jumping on him. Diablo. She was in front of…She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t want to surprise you,” he apologized in a chirpy voice.

A few unintelligible words escaped her mouth and she flushed, embarrassed. _Get a grip_ , she admonished herself. _He is going to think you are a groupie_. Her Diablo plushie and posters would prove otherwise.

Before she became an Avenger fan, she has been totally invested in the X-Men. How many times had she played as Diablo, Hank, Storm or Wolverine…his name alone made her blush. Let’s just say that Wolverine has been the main actor of her fantasies for a long time. He is also the main reason why she never clicked with people her age. They all felt bland and childish compared to her heroes. They didn’t understand her, or her struggle and would change subject whenever she’d talk about deep subjects.

During high school and college, she had been isolated. No one wanted to be seen with her. And it didn’t help that she was pansexual. She may have gone to a prestigious university, but they had been pretty close minded. Fortunately, her family has supported her. At least the members that counted. Her mom, her siblings and her godfather, Rhodey.

“Hello?” Diablo said, waving his hand in front of her face. “Are you alright?”

She nodded not yet trusting her voice. Diablo tilted his head and started signing. Thea’s eyes grew wide.

“I don’t know how to sign,” she replied quickly, grabbing his hands.

“Oh.” He looked down to their hands. She jerked away, suddenly conscious of what she’d done. Really, could this day be worse?

“I’m sorry, I…I should have never touched you without your permission.”

Diablo was still staring intensely at his hands. He turned them upwards and caressed where her hands touched his. He then raised his eyes. She opened her mouth but quickly closed it. His eyes were unreadable. His chirpiness has tone done down. Diablo didn’t seem mad at her. Maybe?

“I’m sorry?” she repeated, unsure.

“You are not afraid of me?” he asked slowly.

The question took her by surprise. What? “No.”

“Really?” He asked, his voice full of hope.

“Yeah, you are not scary.”

Diablo took a few steps forward stepping into her comfort zone. Thea noticed the dark blue tattoos on his skin. She hadn’t been aware of that. She frowned. Even the pictures she had didn’t show any tattoos and they spread everywhere, on his face, arms and to rest of his body, she presumed.

“I’m not scary”, he repeated slowly as if the words were foreign.

“You should see my mom,” Thea pretended to tremble from fear. “She’d make your worst nightmare seems like a dream.”

Her tentative to joke fell flat. Diablo kept examining her. His eyes roamed her face for an answer she wasn’t sure to have. He may have found it because he smiled a little and finally stepped back. He wasn’t back to his bubbly self. Or was that a façade? Something to help people relate to him and see him as less of a threat. His tail swayed slowly behind him. Thea looked at it, entranced. It looked bigger than in pictures and more agile.

She was so concentrated on the appendage that she didn’t notice the quick movement. She blinked once and the next moment, the tail was in front of her face. The triangular tip brushed softly the tip of her nose. She twitched her nose refraining her sneeze.

“And now, are you scared?”

Thea shook her head and wiped her nose to erase the sensation of his tail. Chill ran down her spine making her shiver. She froze. The shiver turned to trembles. The snake appeared in front of her and hissed a warning. _Someone is coming._

The rumble of a storm buzzed in her ears.

“We need to go now,” she urged Diablo, who stopped rambling. He stared quizzically at her. “One of the Avengers is coming for me. We have to go.”

Diablo quickly gripped her arms and transported them.

The ship was way bigger than the Quinjet. It looked more spacious and colorful. It didn’t look like a jet, at all. She followed Diablo through a corridor. He walked quickly and glanced sometimes behind to make sure she was following. Her eyes tracked the paintings on the walls. Who’d put paintings in a jet? What purpose did they serve? She wasn’t well versed in arts, but these looked expensive.

“Why are they –”

Wolverine. Wolverine was in front of her. She squealed and jumped round him. _Oh my God, Oh my God, this is Wolverine._ She fumbled with her bag to get her phone and barely got it out without dropping it.

“Kid, you’re going to have stroke. Calm down,” he said, in a deep rumbly voice. It sounded like a growl. She barely had the time to register that he talked – actually talked to her, that she babbled.

“Why did you choose Wolverine as a nickname? Is it because wolves are “supposed” to be solitary animals? Although they do live in a pack so that’s ridiculous…”

“Kid,” he cut her off. “Calm down.”

She gulped some much-needed air and exhaled. Wolverine nodded silently and encouraged her to breath some more. As she let herself relax, she couldn’t miss the overall beauty of the man. His beard, the muscles rolling under his shirts and jeans. His stance seemed normal, but with her godfather in the military she was able to notice many things. Wolverine was favoring his left. He was consciously bracing himself for any attack. His muscles seemed tensed and ready. He thought she was a threat. Despite his soothing tone, he didn’t trust her at all. Good. Because she didn’t know what she was capable of. She felt somewhat reassured that he took the situation seriously.

“Come sit down and you’ll tell me why Xavier made us pick you up.”

They entered a room behind the cockpit. A blue hand appeared briefly.

“Is that Mister Hank?” She whispered.

“Kid,” Wolverine warned her.

She made a step in the direction of the cockpit. Wolverine stopped her.

“Don’t,” he growled.

Thea narrowed her eyes and moved, only to be stopped by adamantium claws. She couldn’t believe it. She…it…she was touched by his claws. Her squeal came back full force. She brushed her fingers against the claws. The metal was warm and deadly sharp.

Wolverine sighed but didn’t move.

“So, you have a fan, finally,” Diablo joked.

“Fuck you, Blue Devil.”

Diablo hissed in disapproval, Wolverine growled and Thea, well, she was now holding on dear life onto his callous hand.

“Kid, if you go sit down and buckle yourself, I’ll show you what I can do with these.” He raised his right arm and retracted his claws.

She yelped and ran to her seat. Her legs bounced nervously. Wolverine shook his head and raised his eyes to the sky.

“Last time I trust you, Xavier, last time,” he grumbled.

If Logan had not really expected Thea to stay silent during the trip, he certainly regretted his wish.

She suddenly stopped chatting. Her head snapped to the right and she stared at the wall. Logan glanced at Diablo who shrugged, as uncertain as he was.

“Kid? Are you okay?”

“He is coming,” she mumbled, still out of it.

Hank who had been making his way out of the toilets stopped a few steps from them.

“Who is coming?” He mouthed at them.

They both shrugged. Hank rolled his eyes and came in front of Thea. She still didn’t react. Her eyes were unfocused and her shoulders high. The more they looked at her the more she seemed tense.

“Thea, who is coming?” Hank asked in his soft voice.

She finally drew her eyes away from the wall and looked at him in the eyes.

“The God of lightning.”

Logan narrowed his eyes. Xavier hadn’t told them they’d have to encounter some obstacles. He felt his claws breaking his skin. He didn’t know if he was strong enough to fight a God, but he’d try.

“Who is –”

“Drop it Hank.” Logan stood up and went to the cockpit. He looked at the board looking for the radar. Besides the normal interferences, he noticed something small coming in their direction at full speed. He snapped his fingers a few times to call Hank, who grumbled (“I’m not a dog.”)

“What?”

Hank dropped his eyes to the screen.

“Oh. _The_ God of lightning, huh? Just that,” he sighed.

Logan’s frown was still firmly attached to his face. He stared at the clouds expecting at any moment to see Thor. The seconds turned into minutes. Then, nothing. Loga checked the screen again.

“Wolverine! She is down!” Diablo screamed from the other room.

Logan reacted quickly and ran to them. He almost broke the door of the cockpit and cut Hank’s hand in his urgency.

Thea’s body was bent in two. The only thing that prevented her fall was the chest belt. Wolverine assessed the situation quickly. Could Thor have an impact on her? Had he cursed her? Or was her “unknown” power weakening her?

He pushed Diablo away into Hank’s arms and kneeled in front of Thea.

“I can teleport her. I can do. I know I can. Let me do it,” Diablo babbled, panicked.

“Calm down, Diablo, everything is going to be ok. Xavier told me she was a bit on edge when she called him. She may have fainted from all the stress.”

Hank pushed Diablo to the side and forced him to sit.

“If we need you wi –”

The jet trembled and tilted on the right. Logan rolled on the floor, claws grazing the metallic floor. He bounced on the right wall, then ran to the cockpit. Hank followed him quickly. The cockpit was pure _cacophony_. All the screens were blinking, and the alarm was blazing. Logan quickly looked for the anomaly. Was it one of the reactors? Had they been attacked by something?

“Do you see the problem?” Hank screamed, as he looked for a way to turn the alarm off.

Logan shook his head, eyebrows frowned. Thea’s words about a certain God echoed in his mind.

As he was to voice his thoughts, the alarm stopped. The jet stop swaying. After a few minutes of this hell, the silence was as deafening.

“What the fuck,” Hank sighed, flopping on the seat. He took of his glasses, swiping his eyes and forehead.

“What? So, I thought you loved Norse mythology?” Logan joked, half-serious. He unclenched his fist retracting by the same his claws. His heart beat fast and loud. It was ringing in his ears. What the fuck, really.

The adrenaline slowly seeped out of his body, leaving him raw and drained. He took a big breath and sagged.

“You think it was him?” Hank asked genuinely.

Logan stayed silent. He looked behind him where the prostrated body of Thea was. _Xavier, are you sure to know what you are doing?_

Thea took a few more minutes before waking up. Logan sat next to her and watched over her. Hank was back in the cockpit with Diablo. He hadn’t wanted to go. Hank had to physically restrain him. Logan had been surprised that Diablo hadn’t even think of teleporting himself back. They were all used to his personal level of anxiety but today he has reached his peak.

Logan played with his claws cleaning them with a wet tissue. A few movements on his left attracted his attention. He narrowed his eyes. Thea slowly rolled her spin out and groaned. She massaged her neck with shaky moves. Logan observed silently. His hands were clenched. If he wasn’t on high alert before he was now. He should have known what Xavier had in mind. Sending Hank, Diablo and him… The only time he did that was when he wasn’t sure of how powerful the new addition was and how dangerous their power could be.

“What happened?” He asked, serious.

“What?” Thea replied, still stretching her body. “I’m the one who should ask you that? Have I sle—”

“Don’t lie. I know you remember what happened.” A brief flash of fear appeared in her brown orbs. “You talked about the ‘God of Lightning.’”

She opened her mouth, then shut it in a click. “What about it?”

Logan counted to three. Why did Xavier thought he was patient enough to deal with this kind of bullshit?

“The jet almost crashed because something – someone flew past by with such a velocity that we almost lost control of the engine.” He sharpened his claws against each other, eyes still on her. She swallowed with difficulty. Good. That’s where he wanted her. “Now, spill it.”

The rest of the journey went uneventful. After telling her story to Logan, Thea has been chatting with Diablo. Logan didn’t know what kind of story Diablo was telling her, but she looked beyond shocked.

“So…” Hank said, next to him.

Logan barely acknowledged his presence.

“What do you think of her?” The scientist kept going.

“What am I, a fortuneteller? If you wanted someone to read people, I’m not the right one,” Logan replied, with enough sarcasm to surprise him. He didn’t know why he felt like that. Worried and anxious. He was still on the edge from the near encounter with a God, but it didn’t explain the deep roots of his anxiety.

Something bad was going to happen. And for once in his life, Logan felt powerless.


	7. Could it have been prevented? (POV Team)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team sat down and talked about the situation. It goes as well as possible considering who they are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: they discuss bad BDSM and lack of consent.

"What the fuck was that yesterday guys?”

Natasha narrowed her eyes when none of them started talking. Clint barely moved behind her, despite his fingers drumming some morse codes on her waist.

“Do I have to get the recording and play it out to you? Or someone is going to talk? I don’t have all night,” she barked at them, to elicit some reaction out of them.

Tony visibly flinched and recoiled on himself. He had yet to look at her, which he avoided. On his left, Steve looked stricken. Guilt written all over his face. Gone was the leader of the team. It was during these kinds of moments that Natasha remembered that Steve was young. Despite his time under the ice and the supersoldier serum, he was still in his late twenties.

She shook her head and took a look at Bucky, who was by far the most affected. Nat’ masked her surprise at seeing him so open. His entire posture screamed defeated and guilt dripped from every pore of his body. He, also, wouldn’t meet any of their eyes.

Natasha looked on her far right and analyzed Thor’s demeanor. The God had always been an enigma for her. His power resided in his childish manners and joyful personality. He never really showed other feelings. At first, you’d think that everything was a game for him. Life, death, battles…he never lost his smile and confidence. And yet, here the God resembled more of his status than ever. His face was still blank, but his eyes…Natasha got lost in them. It was like a storm ready to happen. Grey on the outer corner of his iris and darker the more it got closer to the pupil.

Clint got harsher in his morse coding. She slowly looked away and got back to the other three. She knew she would never be able to forget this image of Thor.

“So? Any volunteer?” Bruce growled. He was having difficulties to stay out of the ‘green zone’. “Because the more you stay silent, the more He wants to smash.”

Bucky sighed and put his head in his hands. “It’s my fault, I should’ve been more focus.”

Before Steve could jump at his rescue, Clint threw a toy arrow at his head. Steve yelped and glared at him. Clint only shrugged.

“I knew something was wrong toward the end. She didn’t seem...” He glanced at Thor briefly. “enjoying it. I wanted to do someth –.”

“That wasn’t enough,” Nat’ cut him coldly. The anger simmering under her skin menaced to erupt. Bucky flinched at her tone. He briefly looked at her before looking down, shoulders sagged.

“Come one, Nat’. I know we somewhat messed it up, but you don’t need to take it out on Bucky,” Steve said, a deep frown marring his face.

Nat’ sucked her teeth instead of replying the first thing coming to her mind. Two could play this game. Steve may be their leader but Nat’ had more experienced.

“Somewhat messed up?” She quoted. “Somewhat messed up is when DUM-E put some motor oil in Stark’s (Tony shrunk at the name) smoothie. No. What you did was a big fucking mess!” She screamed. “That was unforgivable! You probably broke the only stable thing I – we had in a long time. All of that because of your selfishness,” she spat. Her entire body trembled under her wrath. She didn’t even know what stopped her from sending her widow bites at them.

“Calm down, Nat’, it’s okay,” Clint repeated into her ear. He caressed her side, drawing various patterns. She leaned back and took a deep breath.

“What do you mean? What have we done?” Tony asked with a small, defeated voice. He had put a hand on Steve’s thigh to stop him from digging their collective grave. Nat’ didn’t even feel joy from admonishing them.

The situation was fucked.

Everything was fucked.

The small ray of light they had was gone and Nat was now afraid of going back to before. Going back to the coldness and darkness of their life. Fighting and killing the bad guys, pretending to live a normal life while hiding her true identity. Never settling down, nor cooking with some she’d love, or even going out to do some couples activities. Not having deep conversations at the crack of dawn with someone she’d love.

Since Thea was here, everything had been better. All of them were aware of it.

The tower seemed alive. Wherever Thea went, a trace of joy and excitement followed. And it had nothing to do with sex. It took Nat the longest to accept that thought. Her training in the Redroom had place sex and any kind of sexual intercourse as a pillar in any “relationship”.

If she wanted to kill someone, she’d flirt, and maybe have sex. Everything could be obtained with sex, which was why she’d been so skeptical to bring another person into their group.

Nat’ had first accepted to include Thea just for the sex. She never dissimulated her true intention and never played with Thea. Even if the others had been upset against her, she didn’t regret anything. After all, she had wanted to prove them that this relationship wouldn’t work.

And then…and then she found herself opening up. Night after night Nat’ would talk about her past, she’d cook with Thea, go out with her. Soon enough all of her laid bare in front of Thea.

And now that Thea had bulldozed her way inside her fortress, Nat was left with her defense down.

She blinked her tears away and wiped harshly her eyes. She should have been there last night. She should… Clint pressed her hand between his. Only then did she notice the trembles.

“I can take it from there if you want?” He whispered, before pressing a light kiss under her ear.

She shook her head unable to speak. She won’t crumble in front of them.

“No aftercare, no reassurance, no asking if she was okay or what her colors were, none of you listened to her body language…” She closed painfully her eyes. Her throat closed up, her stomach rolled as memories from the past barged in. “…no consent,” she muttered, only for Clint’s ears, and the superhumans.

Bruce and Thor jumped to their feet making all of the others’ head snap. Bruce was bent in two. He stumbled and fell on his side. His entire body spasmed as he became slowly green. Thor, who seemed transfixed by his hammer, snapped out of his reverie. His frown deepened as he looked toward the sky, seeming to be totally unaware of the urgent situation in the room.

Nat’ walked closer to Bruce trying to appease him. The others stayed reasonably far. She was only a few feet from him when Thor pushed her, gently aside, grabbed Bruce, helping him to get on his feet. They walked to the balcony. Nat’ stood paralyzed. Like the others.

“Fear not, Companions. Our Lover will come back to us soon,” he announced, solemnly. He glanced another time at the sky, still transfixed and flew away. Nat’ didn’t dare to hope that he was talking about Thea. Although, she’d be equally happy to see Bruce getting back.

She grimaced, feeling guilty thinking like that. She swore she didn’t have any favorite, but she still begged for Thea to come back. Maybe this time the Universe or God would listen to her. After all, she’d spent her entire life fighting, getting tortured and killing. Didn’t she deserve some happiness? Or maybe this despair was her karma coming back for all the lives taken. Like an early taste of what would come in the afterlife.

Clint was the first one to move. He helped Nat’ walk to their armchair. The others followed suit, yet slower.

“Well, that was something,” Clint stated, half-sarcastic. “Now, let’s talk about yesterday.”

“We –” Steve started.

“I knew something was wrong, but I was too weak.” Bucky admitted. This time, he was facing them head high. “I was lost in Thor’s words and pleasure. I should’ve been more careful and listened to my guts.” He blushed faintly and squirmed. Clint rolled his eyes. Nat’ bit her tongue to stop herself from saying some scathing. Clint massage the back of her hand and pried her fingers open.

“Hm.” Was only Clint’s response. He turned to face the two others. “What about you?”

Steve and Tony exchanged a nervous look.

“We…we didn’t know. Really. I would…I think I’d have done something to help her. I didn’t really think (Clint snickered.) that she’d feel like that.” Tony said, voice trembling. Steve was holding his hands.

“We’ve never made her feel scared. Yes, we didn’t ask for reassurance because it started off with consent. She could have told her safeword. We would have stopped. We would have never consciously made her feel uncomfortable. Trust us,” Steve begged.

Clint shook his head and talked to Nat’. “What do you think? Should we give them the silent treatment?”

Nat’ shrugged. She barely could look at them. Their sight made her nauseous. She pushed Clint’s arm away and stood up slowly.

“I don’t think you all really understand the problem, here. We talked about it, multiple times. Having a sexual intercourse with enhanced people is a lot but multiple people, including enhanced people? It is taxing mentally. Don’t tell me I’m the only one remembering the first times we had sex. How out of it and barely conscious she’d been. It was the same last night. She couldn’t have consented last night unless you’d explicitly asked her. She was barely conscious, but you didn’t care!” Nat ended up yelling. “Have you not noticed how she was this morning. Does it look like someone who enjoyed a good fuck? No. If Bruce hadn’t come earlier from his conference, she’d still be sleeping, covered with semen, on the fucking couch, by herself. She’d be probably dehydrated, famished and lost in the subspace.” Clint gripped her arm to calm her down. She pushed him away and pointed at the others. “She could have killed herself or tried something dangerous to her life. Subspace is no jokes, that’s why our first rule is aftercare,” she lowered her voice. “No matter what,” she muttered, voice hoarse. “No matter what.”

Clint tried again to grab her, but she walked briskly out of the room.

Clint didn’t follow her. No. He stayed frozen, at the same place, hand still stretch in front of him. He looked down and clenched his fingers.

“Have we…have we raped her?” Bucky asked, scared.

“What?” Tony exclaimed.

“No, Bucky! It’s a misunderstanding, right?” Steve added, trying to find support from Clint or Tony.

“Steve…” Tony started.

“No! I…at first, she was consenting right? She never said anything about it, right?” He asked quickly. His eyes moved from each of them. His breathing grew erratic and he looked way paler. Bucky wasn’t better. His breath came in short huffs.

Steve placed a hand on Bucky’s shoulder. They both of them shared a look. A long look. Something haunting judging by the horror on their faces.

“Guys?” Tony asked, worried.

They both stood up, muttered something and left the room.

Tony sighed. “So how long are you going to make them squirm?”

“What do you mean, Stark?”

Tony winced at his name.

“You know what I mean. Do you really think we assaulted her?”

Clint wiped his forehead. He was getting a headache from all of them.

“I don’t know. It may not have started like one. It may come from something else altogether. The only thing I know is that Nat’ is right. At some point, something went wrong, and Thea may have been too deep in the subspace to actually tell you guys.” Clint took a deep breath and moved to the balcony. “Whatever. It’s not as if we could do some damage control because she literally fled. She ran as if we’d coerce her. This is the only detail that matters. She thought that we’d rape her. Again.”

Silence settled between them, leaving both of them mulling over what happened.

After a few minutes, Tony stood up.

“Rhodey is going to kill me, isn’t he?”

Clint laughed bitterly.


	8. Everyone's got an agenda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thea is with our so friendly X-men. She'll find an unexpected ally. Or are they really?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! It took me way more time than I though and I'm still not totally okay with this chapter. Alas, c'est la vie.
> 
> Also, be aware that I used the pronouns “They/Their/Them” for a nonbinary character in the story. It’s my first time writing about a nonbinary character and it has been challenging – in a good way – to say the least. So, be nice please and if you have any criticism tell me. I’m here to learn.
> 
> It could be confusing at first, but I made sure to be the more precise possible.

Thea was overwhelmed. Yeah, very much overwhelmed. The rest of the flight had been uneventful. Diablo has talked to her for the remaining of the trip so she wouldn’t been bored. She hadn’t seen much of Wolverine nor Hank, as he asked her to call him and not Dr. Hank. She had tried really hard to concentrate on Diablo’s stories, but her mind wandered to earlier. How Logan had seemed cold with her. How he would always stare at her, whether she did something or not. Like she was a timed bomb.

They arrived a little after 2 p.m. The sun was high, there were no clouds and it was hot and humid outside. Despite being in the middle of nowhere, the heat was getting to her. She pushed back her braids and put them into a bun.

“Already hot?” Diablo asked, amused. He didn’t look particularly affected by the temperature. Actually, it was the opposite. His skin glowed under the sunrays making the symbols on his skin shine. She almost wanted to ask about them then stopped herself.

Rule number one of politeness: never ask about scars, the meanings of tattoos and any personal stuff.

“I don’t understand how it can be more humid and hotter here than in New York. With all the trees around, you’d think it’d be bearable,” she complained, wiping her forehead.

Diablo chuckled. “Don’t worry inside is better.”

Diablo was a liar. Inside was definitely not better. First and foremost, there was no AC. No fans. No anything. She glared at Diablo who smiled sheepishly.

“Sorry.”

“You don’t look sorry,” she retorted, pouting.

Diablo shrugged, a little smile playing on his lips. Thea was drenched and not in the good way. Her shirt was clinging on her back and her sweatpants felt like hell.

“I’m going to die,” she complained, wobbling a bit dramatically. She placed a hand on her forehead and pretended to fall.

“If you fall, I’ll walk on you,” Wolverine growled behind her. “And it won’t be pleasurable.”

Thea groaned. She straightened her back and walked more seriously. “I thought you’d be funnier than that.”

“Who said that?” he asked sarcastically. “I’d like to meet them.”

There was a faint metal sound to illustrate his threat. Thea didn’t give him the pleasure to see her flinch. There was something quite sexy about his claws. Not that his entire body wasn’t to die for, but yeah. She could imagine the metal on her carotid pressing slightly…

“Are you okay?” Hank asked by her side.

Her head snapped on her left. She hadn’t even noticed him. She nodded quickly. “Does he solve all of his problems with his claws?”

Hank looked at her over his glasses. He had a little smirk that made her cheeks flame.

“Discovered another kink?”

She opened her mouth to answer when a redhead woman walked toward them. Thea froze a second thinking it was Nat”. Her heart raced and her breathing got out of control.

“Hey? Is everything –”

“Logan!” The redhead woman called sternly. She walked briskly toward him and barely looked at them. Thea shuddered when their eyes briefly met. There was something dangerous about this woman. She unconsciously got closer to Hank.

“Jean?” Wolverine asked, bored. Although his voice was softer than what Thea heard earlier. There seemed to be an underlying tension between them. Maybe they were past lovers. Thea hadn’t missed the way Wolverine had looked at this ‘Jean’.

Longing. Maybe love.

Thea wasn’t really sure. Seeing how her love life was currently, she probably wasn’t in the best position to detect these kinds of things.

“Where were you?” Jean almost barked.

Wolverine pointed at Thea. Jean turned around and stared at her, sizing her up. A small disdainful smirk bloomed on her face. Thea barely repressed her fear.

**‘Danger’, a hissing voice whispered in her head. ‘Kill her’ they added. The same snake from earlier appeared in her mind. She could feel the cold scales caressing her skin as the snake traveled along her body. The triangular head nudged her jaw, their tongue licking her lobe.**

**‘We don’t kill people,’ she answered in her mind.**

**‘We are going to die anyway,’ they said dramatically. The head fell on her shoulder, tongue fully out. Their entire body hanging around her shoulders.**

**‘She is not going to do anything.’**

The snake stayed silent. Thea didn’t know if she already lost her mind. She should have felt so…disturbed by this presence in her mind. It should have felt wrong. So, why did it feel right? Like a piece of missing puzzle that she finally found.

“—about general Ross? You can’t leave like that when Xavier is losing his damn mind!” She said raising her voice.

“Jean, I understand y—”

“No, you don’t,” she cut him off sternly. “No one seems to be taking that seriously, or you wouldn’t have caved in and agree with him.” She was now looking at Hank, whose face was serious. There was no hint of gentleness from a few minutes ago.

“Jean,” Wolverine warned her. “I know you are scared but your behavior is dangerous.”

Hank place a hand on her shoulder and steered Thea away. She didn’t have to glance behind her back to feel ‘Jean’s eyes on her.

Hank led Thea to his ‘lab’. It wasn’t so much of lab but more of a hangar. Tony and Bruce would definitely be jealous.

Tony and Bruce.

She took a deep breath, clenching her fingers. She couldn’t let them invade her mind like that. She couldn’t. She was safe and far from them. She released her breath repeating her mantra.

But even when she tried her darndest, she couldn’t help but worry about them. Were they okay?

**‘We should also kill them,’ the snake whispered.**

Thea let out a genuine laugh.

Hank raised an eyebrow. She shook her head, embarrassed and murmured a quick apology.

A few more people entered the room. She recognized Wolverine, Jean, Xavier and Storm. There was also a tall man with wings, a brunette woman with a white strand of hair. She was wearing leather gloves and a turtleneck despite the temperature.

Thea smile awkwardly. Why were there so many people in here? Why if her powers didn’t come? Why if she didn’t have any powers? She bit her nails, only stopping when Hank tsked.

“Sorry,” she mumbled.

“It’s okay to be afraid. You don’t know us.” He turned around and gave her a bracelet. “It will monitor your vitals. We wouldn’t want to have you dead before the end.” His joke fell flat. Her heartbeat steadily accelerated. Hank didn’t seem particularly vexed. He was even…smiling?

“Sorry, but I had to be sure that the machine was connected to your bracelet. Frightening people is the safest way to determine if its connected or not. If I were to make you run or sprint, your heart would gradually go faster. The program would be able to plan the progression of your heartbeat before it actually does change. And that’s not what I want. When you are afraid, your heartrate goes from 0 to 100 in a few seconds. And some machines are not capable to record these kinds of sudden changes.”

Next, Hank handed her some electrodes. Only then did she notice his gloved hands. Seeing her frown, he explained. “The electrodes and any materials in here are unique. Our dispositive works on DNA, it is more accurate when your patients are powered. If I were to touch it with my bare hands, the program would not recognize you and would be confused as why you don’t have the same DNA as I.”

She nodded understanding the process. Really, Bruce and Tony would have been in awe in front of these machines. Well, maybe not Tony because he didn’t like not being the first at creating and innovating. Again, she pushed these thoughts away. She couldn’t let them pollute her mind.

Especially right now.

Thea pressed the cold electrodes on her temples. Hank smiled and thumbed up. “Remember to keep breathing,” he advised.

“Wh—”

A few seconds later and she was freefalling. She let out a silent scream, fear tensing her body. Her mind whirled in different direction and she couldn’t look away from the near ground. She tried to…she tried to focus and…nothing.

She closed her eyes before the imminent collision.

Everything stopped.

She even stopped moving for a few seconds. Then, she was on her feet. She stumbled and leaned into the embrace supporting her. Her heart and blood were deafening. She couldn’t believe she was still alive. She stomped on the floor and almost fell when her legs gave out.

Once she had finished her little inspection of her body – ‘it was incredible to be alive’, she’d say if her vocal cords could work – she heard some muffled voices. So far away despite the people being near her. Actually, everything felt far away and foreign…She blinked slowly trying to understand how she wasn’t splattered on the floor and why her pants felt so humid. She dropped her gaze and watched as the light grey turned darker.

She knew that she peed on herself, but it felt as if it didn’t really happen to her. She was just there, as a spectator, outside her body. She didn’t feel the dreaded mortification. No. Her mind was calm.

Even the snake didn’t make any apparition.

As her heart rate slowed down, her energy seeped out of her body. She went boneless as her mind drifted away.

“Diablo! What the hell?” Hank screamed, furious.

“I-I-I don’t kno-know! I swear I couldn’t move. It was like something was restraining me...”

* * *

Thea didn’t wake up in a surge or suddenly. She came gradually into full awareness of her surrounding despite her eyes being closed.. She appreciated the air in her lungs and her heart pumping blood in her entire body. Thea clenched her fingers and toes.

I’m alive, she thought, grateful.

‘ **We are alive,’ the snake corrected.**

She didn’t have in her to be annoyed by their presence and acquiesced. Yes, breathing and kicking they were.

She waited to see if anyone would come in. Whoever had taken the time to wash and dress her in clothing resembling her former ones, was bound to come back checking up on her.

Minutes passed and still no one. Admittedly, Thea didn’t know how long she had waited but she was already bored. She couldn’t stay without doing anything, otherwise her mind would punish her.

She stood up with precaution. Her legs looked strong enough, but she had been unconscious for God how long and she didn’t want to fall face first.

Once was enough.

She also didn’t want to think of the reasons why they changed her. Nope. Dangerous territory. Nothing happened as far as denial could go.

She wobbled her way to the door and opened it. She passed her head through the opening and looked around. No one…wait. There were voices on her left.

She walked tentatively tried to walk by herself. After a few scary moments where the floor had almost met her face – not so lovingly – she used the wall to steady herself.

One step at the time. Left foot. Right foot.

The voice grew louder and she sped up. Was there a problem? Was someone in danger?

Forgetting that she was only human, a human recovering in a facility with powered people, she ‘raced’ to the door. She stopped when she recognized the voices.

“…Logan,” Jean said. “Why is it always complicated with you.”

“Me?” Wolverine scoffed. “What about you Jean? What about the “accident” earlier where you almost killed someone!” He ended up screaming.

There was some crashing, but Thea couldn’t register it. The meaning of the words hit her square in the guts. Jean has been the one who prevented Diablo from saving her. Thea pressed her head on the door. Her emotions threatened to spill and destroy whatever kind of peace she had built.

“I…I would have never let her die, and you know it, Logan.”

“Have you seen her, Jean? Hank said we almost lost her. She could have died!”

“Her powers, if she had any, would have prevented that.”

Wolverine growled. There was a swoosh of metal. A body hit the wall in a thump. Thea stood there, frozen.

“What are you implying? You didn’t know you had powers until a certain age. Hell, most of our students didn’t know about their own before their twenties. That didn’t give you the right to do that!” His voice was getting raw from all the shouting.

“You don’t understand, Logan. You don’t understand. I thought at least you would be able to see through Xavier’s bullshit but you don’t,” Jean said, disappointed.

“You mean Scott didn’t believe you,” he spat. “So, you went to your second option. Me.”

“Why is it always black or white with you?” Jean asked, exasperated.

“What is it called when you fuck with me while being with somebody else? What is it called?!” He yelled. “Drop the Holier Than Thou act and let’s talk about really upset you.”

“Do you have to be that crude? You know that I never wanted to hurt you”

“I asked for your hand and you said yes,” he stammered through his ragged breath. “You said yes, Jean,” he repeated, broken.

Thea could feel it in her bones. The deep pain of broken trust and unrequited love. She tried to force herself to move away and go. Only this time, her body didn’t respond.

_"In Asgard, fellowship is more important than common marriage. I’d lay my life for you…"_

_"I don’t remember, but did she climax, too?"_

_"Is it really a pressing matter, right now?"_

“Logan…I’m sorry. I thought you understood that I didn’t love you like that.”

_"In Asgard, fellowship is more important than common marriage. I’d lay my life for you…"_

The sorrow. The pain. The anguish, bulldozing its way into the fortress of her heart, left her empty. She watched as all of her foundation burned to the ground.

Ashes flew around her. Overpowering her. Intoxicating her.

“Anyway. We have a much more pressing matter, don’t you think?” Jean said. Gone was the empathy in her voice. She was back to her business voice.

Wolverine groaned but didn’t talk.

“What are we going to do? Xavier clearly lost his mind. We have to counter Ross before tries anything serious.”

Wolverine didn’t answer.

“Logan? Are you doing to talk? If it’s about your stupid feelings, we –.”

“You almost killed a young woman because you think Ross is going to trap us.”

Jean groaned. “Again, about this girl? Did you fuck her? Is that why you are stuck on her?”

“Jean…I have seen someone freefalling to their death because of you. You decided to accelerate the process not caring about anyone’s safety. And you have the nerves to pretend caring about all of our lives, when you only care about _you_!”

“That’s not true,” she retorted bitterly. “I care about you, Lo—”

“Don’t touch me,” he snapped. “Don’t toy with me! I’m not your little dog that you can order aro—”

“No, of course. You are Xavier’s. When he ask you to jump, you always ask how high, never questioning his ways.”

Thea felt a hand on her shoulder. She jerked away, heart racing. She placed her hands in front of her in a defensive stance.

“Whoa whoa! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to surprise you,” Hank apologized, hands high.

Thea shook her head, glancing nervously at the room on her left. She didn’t want the two others to know that she’d been eavesdropping.

“How are you feeling?”

“Like a dead person coming back to life, I guess.”

Hank watched her face closely. “You really scared us back there.”

“I know. I’m sorry. Listen, I’m sorry for making you waste your time. I clearly don’t have any powers,” she rambled.

Hank sighed. “The near-death experience is not a 100% successful. Plenty people would reveal their powers in mundane ways. One of our students woke up and fell of the bed. Hovering bed.” He chuckled fondly.

Thea didn’t try to reciprocate. She didn’t have the energy for that, and she couldn’t pretend with Hank. There was something with powered people, how they could see through every mask. The last thing she wanted was to get pitied.

He offered his arm to help her walk and they made their way to the lab. The silence between them didn’t feel tensed. It was a natural silence where words were not needed.

**‘We should have killed her,’ the snake interfered.**

**‘We can’t kill people like that. I don’t where you come from but on Earth it is illegal. At least for peasants like us…if we were richer it’d be another topic.’**

**‘Just a little stab, then.’ Their head moved from her left to right ear, making her twitch.**

**‘No stab, no nothing violent. It is not legal.’**

**The snake tightened around her waist.** **‘But I’m a snake. I could do it. No one would blame me.’**

 **‘How would you do that? You are in my head,’** **she replied, exasperated.**

**‘I have powers,’ the snake stated.**

Thea tripped over her own feet. Hank held her up. She thanked him, embarrassed.

**‘Powers? And you couldn’t have saved me – us?’**

**‘I have powers, but they are locked.’**

**‘So basically, you are useless?** ’

She raised her eyes to the sky.

**‘You too,’ they retorted.**

**‘Why am I discussing with a _snake_? For all I know you could be lying. After all, snakes are considered selfish liars and deceitful creatures,’ she said, her patience running thin.**

**‘Why am I discussing with a _black woman_? For all I know you could be useless. After all, black women are considered perverse, angry, vain and stupid.’**

Thea’s mouth dropped from the shock. The only reason she wasn’t rolling on the floor was Hank’s firm grip on her arm. It took her long enough to close her mouth and when she did, her brain was still frozen. What the hell just happened? Her anger flared up, fed by years of racial injustice. She was about to unleash on the snake…

‘ **What? Don’t like your own medicine? For someone who suffers from stereotypes, I thought you’d be more open-minded toward prejudiced species.’**

She swallowed the sourness in her mouth and cleared her throat. The snake had a point, but their repartee had hit a sore wound. **‘I’m sorry mister the snake?’**

**‘Nemesis.’**

What kind of…

**‘If you finish that thought, we are going to have a whole new argument on your name Theodore,” he interrupted sternly.**

Thea briefly closed her eyes. “Don’t fuck this up”, she swore under her breath. Hank glanced at her with curiosity. She smiled. The same fake-smile Ton… Nope. Not going there.

**‘I’m sorry Nemesis. It’s just that your name reminded me of my history classes. Why were you named Nemesis, by the way?’**

 **‘I accept your apology, only because you are the first host to respect me, truly. I was always called Nemesis** **. The noun came from me. Before your world was created, I was. Then the universes were created, and I was cast away. The multiple universes couldn’t live without balance. That’s why _they_ created 7 entities out of my powers to counter me and prevent me from disturbing** **the universes. So, unless these entities are gathered and used, my powers would be locked away.’**

Thea tried to process the information. There were a lot of holes. She didn’t know if Nemesis had intentionally left some parts out and Thea couldn’t ask them right now, because Hank and she had finally reached the lab.

Hank led her to a medical chair.

“We are going to try that.” He handed her a VR glasses and electrodes. “I’m going to show you a few images and we’ll see if it sparks something in your brain or in the rest of your body.”

She grabbed the VR and sat down.

“I promise, this time, everything is going to be okay,” Hank promised, solemnly.

“Thanks Hank.”

 **‘A fat lot of good it did us last time,’ the sn—Nemesis replied, unabashed**.

**‘Be nice. What worse could happen?’**

**Nemesis choked. ‘Actually dying?! For good!’**

Her chuckle turned into a cough when Hank looked at her quizzically.

“You can put the VR on. I’m ready if you are.”

This time she was the one to thumb up. The VR on, she could only see black. Then, a picture appeared. It was a house in the suburbs.

The next one was a bird.

A lightning.

A cat chasing a mouse.

A bed.

The Avengers. Her heartbeat faster and she couldn’t help but look at each of them closely. She barely had the time to finish her inspection that a next picture appeared.

“Is everything okay?” Hank inquired.

“So far so good.”

“What are you doing here, Jean?” Hank asked, annoyed.

Thea didn’t pretend to focus on the pictures anymore. She didn’t want this woman here. At all.

“I have the right to be here Hank, and you know it.”

“She doesn’t want you here, look her heartrate. She is stressed by you.”

“Or she could be reacting to the images, like she should.”

Hank didn’t answer. Thea tried to take the VR off, but a hand stopped her.

**‘She’s going to kill us,’ Nemesis murmured.**

**‘Can’t you do something?’**

**‘If she gets into your head, I’ll be able to syphon her powers and…yeah.’**

**‘And what?’ she pressed them.**

**Nemesis stayed silent.**

“So, let’s take care of you, young Thea. Shall we?”

Thea couldn’t speak. Her tongue was stuck on the roof of her mouth. Each of her limbs was glued to the chair. Only her breathing was hers to control.

The images kept flashing, until she felt it. The cold presence in her mind. Whereas Xavier had been like a breeze, Jean felt like sandpaper on a wound. And Thea couldn’t even grit her teeth to diminish the painful sensation.

**‘Be prepared, once she is fully in your –’**

The rest of their sentence was unconsciously tuned out. Thea’s attention was stuck on one image.

A family in front of a farmhouse.

At first glance there was nothing peculiar about this picture. The family was smiling. The landscape was breathtaking. Just a regular picture.

But the more Thea looked at it, the more she felt uneasy. There was a detail in the picture that…her eyes moved quickly to catch it. Every time she thought she found it, it disappeared. The word was on the tip of her tongue…her mind ran circles to find the source of her terror.

Her body broke in a cold sweat, her breath accelerated as anguish traveled through her body.

Lost in her own head, she didn’t notice the lack of presence from Jean. Nor the worry seeping out of Nemesis who tried to ground her.

As soon as Jean lifted her ‘spell’, Thea’s body started to seize.

Inhuman shrieks escaped her mouth.

The sound of a siren resonated in her head as the same words were on repeat.

**_CHILDREN OF THANOS, ANSWER THE CALL AND JOIN US!!!!_ **

* * *

**Somewhere in the Galaxy...**

A mom kneeled in front of her child. She gave her a small purple stone which shone brightly. The child held it with all the care she could and pocketed it.

The mom grabbed her child’s face and stared into her green orbs. The girl looked tearfully at her mom, lips wobbling. Her mom kissed her forehead and urged her to say the vows. The little girl stuttered at first, struggling to remember how to speak the Ancient languages.

Her mom tsked and she started again from the beginning. The child took a deep breath and let the words flow out of her mouth.

“…to protect the gem at all cost, until it was given back to the lost soul on the mountain,” she finished, back straight and head up.

The mom lurched forward and embraced her daughter. She prayed silently for her daughter’s safety, in this life and the one to come, where they’ll meet again. They stayed in this position until the sirens blazed. The small child immediately took off to the mountain, without looking once behind.

When the little girl was far enough, the mother screamed loud, imitating one of their local birds. Other women joined her, and their combined voices resonated in the valley. Soon started the ethereal chanting retelling the prophecy about their planet and their next journey in the afterlife.

Meanwhile, hundreds of children were running in different directions bearer of the same mission.

_Protect the stone. Never stop._

In their culture, only seven-year-old kids could be in possession of the stones. At this age children were the most powerful. Their mind was still intertwined with the other worlds. They were in tune with the dead and the spirits – good or bad.

That’s the reason why the Wises chose to send each year for their seventh birthday a stone. Legendary source of prosperity and protection. The stone would protect their souls from all attacks from the other worlds. A child could never lose the stone as it’d was bond to them. They’d reappear in their pockets soon enough.

On their next birthday, the stone would disappear.

What the citizens didn’t know was that one of their kids was the Chosen one. The Wises hadn’t wanted to disclose this information, as even the Wises didn’t know who they were. Being chosen was a terrible curse. Protecting the stone meant dying and belonging to it forever. Never seeing their family or ancestors in the afterlife.

The gem was both greedy and unfair. It demanded the soul of a valiant and innocent heart who’d willingly sacrifice themselves and suffer from loneliness in its made-up realm.

Small feet ran through the forest, making her way to the mountain and blissfully unaware of the two guests in her quest.

_Thea and Nemesis._

They both appeared in their human _forms_. Thea hadn’t even questioned the person she knew was Nemesis. She hadn’t been shocked nor surprised to see them, instead of the snake. She hadn’t even had to ask who they were that she knew deep down that it was Nemesis. She had been so certain that it scared her. 

They were both being magically dragged by the child and forced to follow her through her journey. Thea tried to speak to Nemesis and stop them, with no avail.

They didn’t want to stop. Their eyes were stuck on the child.

A heinous smile adorned their face as they accelerated to tackle the child. Thea surged forward and jumped on them, making them roll on the floor. Nemesis shrugged her off and gnarled at her face.

The child, unbeknownst to this reality, sprinted to the entrance of the mountain. There again, she never turned around to witness foreign spaceships landing on their fields, already disrupting their world.

“Nemesis! Don’t do it,” Thea begged, again.

Nemesis was about to run when she grabbed their ankle making Nemesis fall.

“You don’t understand, Human,” they screamed, desperate. “You don’t understand how it hurts.”

They looked in longing and fear where the child was going. Thea slowly made her way to Nemesis, who was getting to their feet.

“Why?” She asked softly. “I thought your powers were locked away. Why would it still hurt you?”

“They laid me on the Old Altar, restrained me and cut me open.” Thea watched them take a shuddered breath. “They cursed me for the eternity. My powers are like each of your limbs. I cannot truly live without them. That’s why I need a host to survive.” Nemesis dropped their head and placed their hand in the middle of their chest. “The entity the child is transporting is my stone. It is my heart.”

Thea raised her hand and pressed it where Nemesis’ hand was.

“I can’t understand your pain Nemesis. But killing is not the way. Not when…” They both looked behind, where the bombings started. “I’ll set you free, Nemesis. I swear I will…” She repeated as a vow, voice strong and confident.

Nemesis stared at her strangely. Thea was about to add something when Nemesis started crying. Not sure if they’d well receive her physical touch, Thea stayed where she was.

“It’s going to hurt. When the kid…the gem…” They trailed off, anxious. “It’d be like losing my heart again…” They mumbled, despair loud and clear in their voice. Nemesis was getting more and more agitated. Their hands were trembling, and their entire frame slouched.

Before she could stop them, Nemesis started running to the mountain. Thea ran after them. Despite being weaker and smaller than them, she reached Nemesis as they both arrived on top of the mountain.

“Wait Nemesis, don’t!” She screamed.

Nemesis surprisingly stopped. They stood frozen at the top of the stairs leading to the precipice. Their entire body was tensed. Like someone who was expecting a blow. Their shoulders were high and their hands balled into fists.

“It’s going to hurt,” they whispered, broken.

Thea’s protective side rose like a wildfire. “I will protect you.”

Nemesis chuckled, humorlessly. “You’ll die. The pain was made for Eternals, not Humans.”

“I won’t let you suffer alone,” she retorted, stubborn.

Nemesis gave her a hard glare. “Then, you’ll die. Of course, it is if you don’t give up before.”

Thea opened her mouth to retort when the sky suddenly became purple. The ground started moving and trembling under their feet. Thea stumbled and almost free fell. This time to a certain death. Behind them, the stairs leading to summit were gone. The plateau was the only place they could stay safe.

For now.

Once the trembling stopped, she turned around to make sure that Nemesis hadn’t done something crazy.

Nemesis were seizing on the floor. The sight almost made her puke. There was something unnatural in the painful expression of their face. The way their face was smooth despite the ugly sounds coming out of their closed mouth. Nemesis glassy eyes were wide open. They stared aimlessly at the purple sky.

Thea shook off her stupor and made her way toward them. She kneeled. Her fear bubbled under her skin and threatened to spill. She couldn’t afford to be scared. Not right now. 

Thea took a deep breath and tried to concentrate. Like the child did earlier with her mom, as Thea let her mind free of worries, the answer flowed in her brain. She wanted to protect Nemesis. To put them in a sort of cocoon.

Her brain did the rest. It built a fortress, stone after stone, around the snake form of Nemesis. She had tried to imagine their human form, but her mind wouldn’t let her. Even though their face was stuck on her retina.

Thea found out that she could only protect one person. The wall wouldn’t go her too. Only then, she truly understood Nemesis, last sentence. _“Then, you’ll die. Of course, it is if you don’t give up before.”_

The gem’s purpose was to punish, and it would regardless who was the victim.

She didn’t know how long it took for her to finish. But she’d forever remember the searing pain stabbing her through her entire body. She fell back as a needle made its way, slowly, inside her chest, and through her heart.

* * *

Nemesis felt the sudden change. The pain slowly recessed until there was just a dull reminder. They released a deep breath and let their thoughts flow.

“Last time was worse,” they whispered, still under the shock. The tremor was still visible, and they didn’t know if they could stand up right now.

Nemesis chuckled, relieved. The last time, they hadn’t been able to remain conscious and they stayed paralyzed for a few days.

High on their joy, Nemesis glanced where Thea had been when they fell. Their smile disappeared. They jumped to their feet, ignoring the ache of each nerve, and ran to Thea’s limp body.

She was laying on the floor, blood pouring out of each orifice, each pore. Nemesis dropped to their knees and grabbed her head.

“What the hell, Human,” Nemesis murmured in disbelief. They cradled Thea’s head on their legs and tried to awake her. Her body remained painfully tensed. Nemesis knew that she was awake. If she had taken the curse on herself, it’d make sure to torture her until…until her body couldn’t handle it.

Nemesis looked away. They had been able to syphon a lot of Jean’s power and they could…they think…they could help Thea recover. The curse had first to run its course, otherwise, the pain would increase to counter their help.

Nemesis stayed on the cold floor, patiently waiting and praying to whoever in the universe to let this foolish woman live. They also prayed to be forgiven of their darker thoughts. The ones that wanted them to take over. To let Thea die and possess her body. Only then, would they be able to truly live after all of these millennia. 

As Thea’s heartbeat slowly came to halt, Nemesis jumped into action. They placed their hand above her heart.

“Live free…” An enchanting voice whispered to their ears.

Nemesis closed their teary eyes, letting a few drops fall on Thea’s face. Something in his chest, where their heart was supposed to be, exploded. A blinding pain bloomed making their teeth grit.

As they dug into the stolen powers, Nemesis remembered. They remembered the pain. The loneliness. The torture. The madness of it all.

In the midst of their torment, their promise sealed their fate.

“I will do everything to be free…” Nemesis whispered. They leaned above Thea’s head and kissed her bloody forehead.

_“I will protect you.” Thea’s brown eyes shone like two suns. Nemesis, entranced by the sight and the words, felt a familiar, yet unusual, sensation in the middle of their chest. Thea was the first person…the first being to consider them. There had been many people in the past who had tried to trick Nemesis and used them for their own personal greed. Countless of promises, of prayers and offers._

_If Nemesis had fallen into many of these traps, blinded by the sheer despair of being once again attached to a living body, these experiences had left hideous scars in their mind. Wounds necrosed by all of these beings and their empty promises._

“I’m sorry…I’m sorry…” Nemesis sobbed. They didn’t know why they cried. They barely knew Thea. She was a Human after all. A fragile and deceitful being. She would have ended up using them like the others.

_“I’ll set you free, Nemesis. I swear I will…”_

_Nemesis stared at her, at loss. The feeling in their chest grew warmer and bigger. The longer they looked at her the more they felt something both frightening and awful._

“I’m a coward.”

_“I won’t let you suffer alone,” she retorted, stubborn._

_Nemesis wanted to tell her that she was crazy. That she couldn’t really think about it. She didn’t know what she truly meant. They wanted to shake her or kiss…Nemesis frowned. No. Nononononono._

_Without their consent, their entire being shifted. The feelings became unbearable and unmanageable. Nemesis tried to remain level-headed. They really did, they swore to the universe. So why when they looked at this woman in front of them, the only thought they had was: “Do her lips taste like the sun? Ravaging everything they touch, consuming even the strongest mind. Would she swallowed me whole and keep me greedily?”_

_The rumble in their chest became deafening. It was a surprise Thea couldn’t hear what she’d done to them._

“I’m sorry...”

Nemesis pressed their lips onto Thea’s bloody ones. They closed their eyes and let the remaining warmth fuel the fire in their heart.

* * *

**_CHILDREN OF THANOS, ANSWER THE CALL AND JOIN US!!!!_ **

**Cells of Asgard...**

Loki stood up slowly, enjoying the state of panic and agitation in the castle. The guards have all left the jail running like headless chicken. And let’s just say, that the prisoners hadn’t really helped.

When the first alarm came off, they all made sure to antagonize the guards. Even though there was little to no chance for any of them to be able to leave their cells, the guards have been way more naïve than usual. They fell into basic traps and have become pissed, at the end. Which was particularly ridiculous. Prisoners couldn’t get out of their cells and guards inside of them.

Loki smiled mischievously. He pressed one hand on the magical wall of his cell testing the security.

The magical field bent under his simple strength. He had no doubts that he could break out of the cell using only a little of his magic.

He shook his head and went back to his place. Loki knew that some prisoners had witnessed what just happened. Most of them were truly force of the nature and would be able to pass through with no problems. But not Loki. No. He had waited too long for that to let this occasion pass.

“I’ll free them Hel…I promise,” he whispered, closing his eyes.


	9. Who lies? Who tells the truth?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We are back with the team and a familiar face appear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are back with the Team. I promise next chapter will be on Thea but for now a little explanation on what is going on in their heads. 
> 
> TW for this chapter: mention (brief) of sexual assault on a child, and homophobia in early 20th century. It starts from “I was…” to “I came…” (it is in bold) and implied self-harm.
> 
> The plot thickens (evil laugh)

Bruce was getting agitated in Thor’s arms. They were flying above the city at high speed. In his extended arm, the Hammer was pulling them closer to their destination. Thor tried to stay focus, but his mind kept getting back to their earlier conversation.

“It was the best thing to do,” he muttered firmly. “Maybe not the rightest…but the best”.

Even to him, it sounded lame. Every time he thought of what he’s seen last night, of his weakness he couldn’t help but blame himself. He should have been more careful. He should have been wiser, less prone to jump head first into an unknown situation.

Thor was overly disappointed by himself. His father’s words rang true to his ears. “You are not a _boy_ , Thor. You can’t act as a foul and disappoint your people, Thor. You _will_ be a king…”

He gritted his teeth and clenched his fingers around the handle of the Hammer. He seemed as if Mjöllnir understood his tension and accelerated.

A few minutes later, they flew past a jet. Thor tried to direct Mjöllnir away from it, but he couldn’t. The Hammer kept inching closer until it slid underneath the jet. Thor almost let go of Bruce when he tried to jerk away. He tightened his arm around his waist securing his lover.

Added to that, the itching was back, slowly evolving into a painful burn. It was what woke him up this morning. He had an uncomfortable sensation in the middle of his back, pulsating slowly. He had thought it’d be gone after a good shower but no. It didn’t worsen nor get better.

The itch was barely present but the mere thought of what it meant had left him frightened. When he saw what was the reason of it…pure fear has traveled through his veins, leaving him weak, like a small child. But this time, his mother wouldn’t be able to help him. 

Thor looked down to his lover. His face was still scrunched painfully and there was a green tint to his skin. He couldn’t hear anything other than the wind, but he’d guess Bruce was grunting, trying desperately to stay human.

His worry grew once he remembered why he was in this predicament. A brief image of Thea laughing at his stories appeared in his mind. His breath hitched. His heart pounded in his heart. A second image appeared. The one he had tried to avoid thinking about. The one that was from the night before. Thor hadn’t admitted the truth to his lovers. He knew Thea had broken down. He knew she had been upset and yet he never did anything to help her.

They slowly descended in the middle of a forest. Thor was focus on landing right, but it seemed that Bruce finally lost the battle against Hulk. Thor was sent flying into a few trees. He had let go of his Hammer where they should have landed and didn’t summon it. He didn’t want to fight Hulk, even if he knew that he could take a few hits.

Thor stayed on his back not moving one inch when Hulk approached and jumped on him. He didn’t move when Hulk pounded with his fist the ground next to Thor’s head. No. Thor kept his eyes above him. The blue of the sky was replaced by dark green eyes.

Hulk screamed at his face and raised his fist to strike. Thor watched him lower his fist until it stopped just a few inches above his face. He blinked slowly, pleading internally for Hulk to hit him. The green giant suddenly rolled next to Thor. Even under his wildest form, Bruce wouldn’t hurt him. The sour taste in his mouth receded to leave a sweet addictive flavor as his heart melt from the love he held for Bruce.

Thor closed his eyes and sighed, defeated. Bruce was slowly emerging next to him, through grunts, hisses, and whines. Thor clenched his fingers on the grass and tried to stay grounded. The more he waited and the less he felt strong.

He knew Bruce would question him. He wouldn’t stop until he got his answers. The right answers. Contrary to the others, Bruce – and lately Thea – were the only people who saw right through his façade of naïve, joyful God. They were the ones with whom he felt fake if he talked with his usual booming voice. It never felt right to do it with them, anyway. So, he learnt to let go of his barriers and revealed a deeper self. His true self. Or at least one of his many versions.

Bruce rolled onto his side and stood up, wobbling dangerously. Thor jumped to his feet and tried to help him, but he was pushed away. Bruce staggered to a nearby tree and leaned on it. His breathing disturbed the eerie silence in the forest. Insects, birds or even the wind didn’t make any sound, as if the following conversation was crucial to what was coming.

“Why?” Bruce croaked, eyes closed. “Why Thor?” he screamed, his voice breaking.

Thor chose not to answer. It certainly wasn’t the right move. Bruce sent him a glare. He pushed himself away from the tree and walked toward him, only to stop a couple of inches away from him. Enough for Thor to smell his minty breath on his lips.

“Why didn’t you do anything?”

Thor got lost into the dark eyes of Bruce and all of his lies disappeared as soon as he opened his mouth.

“I had to,” he replied, simply.

Incomprehension flashed in Bruce’s eyes. “You…had to? What does that mean?”

“I…we had to push her away. She is no good.” Even as he said these words, a sword pierced his heart.

Bruce took a few steps back, disgust reflecting on his face. “No good? What the fuck Thor!”

“You have to understand. You have to believe me. I didn’t want to. But it was the only solution. The only way.” Words tumbled out his mouth in a hurry. He felt a certain urgency to tell the truth, to finally be free from this millennium old secret.

“What are you talking about Thor? I thought you loved Thea as much as the others. I thought everything was good and then I saw what you did back there. The others may have been fooled by your act, but I saw right through you. I know you are the most careful lover. I have seen Thea and you make love and you never acted that way. So why?”

Thor took a sharp breath. Each of Bruce’s words cut deeper than he thought. He clenched his hands and unclenched them, gathering his thoughts. The only way Bruce would understand would be to show him. Thor took his t-shirt off and turned around.

The question on Bruce’s lips died and was replaced by a shocked gasp. Thor listened to the man approaching and braced himself for his touch. His soft fingers brushed the tattoo which appeared during the night. The burn turned into a cold, refreshing sensation. Thor dropped his head and sighed, relieved. Bruce who misinterpreted his reaction backed away. Thor almost whined as the pain came back.

“What is that? I thought you couldn’t get a tattoo. Your skin is as impenetrable as Bucky and Steve’s. No human ink should be able to take on your skin. So how did you get it? And what does it have to do with Thea?”

“You also have one Bruce. We all have one on our back. A giant snake wrapped around 7 planets, mouth wide open, ready to eat a smaller blue planet. After what happened yesterday, I felt that the prophecy was coming to life. I would have never been cruel to Thea if the destiny of the universes was not at stake.”

Bruce stared at him, silently. His face didn’t show any emotion, only his breathing was shallow and loud. Like an animal ready to pounce if its prey was not complying. Thor felt compelled to keep going.

“There was a being powerful enough that they could control everything in the universes. Every variable in the world was theirs to use and bend. They were too powerful…too wild. No one could know when they’d turn completely evil and would wipe an entire civilization. People would pray to them, give them offerings in return of their help. Which never came.

Then wars happened. People died. Planets were destroyed. Governments were overturn. And all of them cried to this powerful being to help them. But they never came at their rescue. So, these people worked together, looking for the being’s weakness to annihilate them. They created 6 stones in order to counter the being’s power. Each stone would control time, soul, space, mind, power, reality.

It took centuries for this work to come to an end. And as they lured the being out of their hiding, they used all of the gems to restrain them and take their power away. Only then they send it away.

It is said that they will come back and start the Ragnarok. The end of all worlds. That’s what the tattoo is representing. A snake eating the worlds.”

Bruce looked away. His eyebrows were furrowed and his fingers were twitching like every time he faced an enigma or a problem he couldn’t yet fathom. “And what does it have to do with Thea? Is she the “being”? Has she tricked us? I don’t understand Thor.”

“It is said that the being would roam the worlds until their time came to avenge themselves. To do so, they’d possess a human being and…” Thor trailed off. He eyed Bruce, who started pacing.

“So, Thea doesn’t have anything to do with it. We could have protected her, Thor and deal with whatever this being is. But _you_ chose to send her away. How is that better?”

Thor clenched his teeth and stopped himself from retorting something snarky. How could Bruce be so naïve. How could he believe that they, humans, could do anything against the monster coming after all of them. Even Odin feared them. 

“You don’t understand,” Thor chuckled darkly. “You don’t understand,” he repeated louder. This time only, even he, could hear the desperation in his voice.

“Then tell me!” Bruce screamed, exasperated. “Why do we all have the same tattoo? What is going to happen to Thea? When is the being coming? Why can’t we protect her?”

Thor took a deep breath to calm himself. He relaxed his fists and stood head high.

“We are connected to each other. This tattoo is a bond. If something happen to one of us, the others are going to know it. It is also a tracker. If someone is kidnapped or in danger, the others would be able to find them.” Thor dropped his head, losing his composure. “But Thea is at the center of it all. If she were to be possessed by the other being, she could manipulate us and use our position as “heroes” to wreak havoc.”

“I…don’t see Thea doing that. Not to us. Can you imagine her manipulating all of us?” Bruce voice was full of incertitude.

“It wouldn’t be her, Bruce. She’d be long gone. Can you imagine yourself killing her body to save the world?”

Bruce flinched. “No!” His head snapped toward Thor and he glared at him.

“Neither do I,” Thor admitted simply.

“Since we all have this…bond, doesn’t it mean that killing her would affect us?”

Thor looked away and turned around, not wanting to face Bruce.

“Thor? What will happen to us if we “hypothetically” kill her?

Thor shrugged. “Don’t know. I wasn’t privy to this kind of information.” A lie. “I only know what I told you.”

He knew Bruce wouldn’t believe him. He wouldn’t be his lover if he did.

“Wh-Wait a minute. You weren’t “privy to this kind of information”? Who told you this _story_ , Thor?” Bruce pressed him.

Thor kept his mouth shut.

“Thea, the woman who has been with us for months now, will manipulate us.” Thor tensed at the words, he himself has used. “Do you have any proof that she, the person who has helped us and been with us, would try to destroy everything?”

“ _Is it really a pressing matter, right now_?” Thor asked, glancing behind him where Bruce froze. He was about to ask what was wrong when Bruce charged at him. They both rolled on the floor.

“Is it really a pressing matter?!” Bruce screamed at his face. Surprisingly there was no green (teinte) on his skin. “Are you fucking serious? Isn’t what you said to Bucky last night. What the hell is wrong with you!” Bruce raised his fist ready to strike.

There again, Thor admired his lover’s patience. Bruce lowered his fist and grabbed his t-shirt instead. He opened his mouth, surely to insult him some more.

“Odin,” Thor cut him off.

Bruce seemed lost. He looked at him as if they were both having two different discussions.

“It was Odin who told me this.”

Bruce closed his mouth in a click. He sat on Thor’s lap and stared at him. His concentrated face was back on.

“Odin? As your dad?” He asked for confirmation. Thor nodded. “And you believed him?”

Thor was startled by the question. “He is my father.”

“And?” Thor opened his mouth to reply but Bruce raised his hand to stop him. “Listen, Thor, I know you love your father and you want to believe the best of him. But even you could see through his lies, through every bad action he made.”

Thor pushed Bruce off him. “Tread lightly,” Thor warned. “Before being my father, he is the Allfather. A King who had to make concessions and sacrifices to counterbalance what was left of the chaos.”

Bruce shook his head vehemently and let out a wry chuckle. “Do you hear yourself? “Concessions”? “Sacrifices”? Is it what you truly think or what has been drilled into your head?” Bruce raised an eyebrow. Thor huffed but didn’t raise to the bait. “And what about your brother, then?”

“What?” Thor asked surprised. What did Loki have to do with any of that?

“Do you think what your father did was fair? Stealing a baby from his enemy, raising him as a true Asgardian and telling him stories where his own people were monsters and had to be killed on sight. No wonder he grew up so fucked up. How long did it take before your dad sent him on the field? How many of his own folks has he killed thinking that he was doing the right thing, like an obedient son. And when Odin -,” Bruce spat. “found out that your brother knew who he truly was, he sent him away. Then in jail. How is that fair, Thor?”

Thor was at loss. He had many prepared answers. Things he had to answer to even his own companions in Asgard. He had explained and justified his dad’s actions even though he knew deep down Odin wasn’t truly all white.

Now, facing Bruce, Thor couldn’t recite the same speeches he has given before. The thought alone made his stomach churn.

Loki has always been their dad’s favorite despite what people thought. Odin has taught him how to rule, how to wield any kind of arms, how to use his magic. Loki has always been smart and open-minded. He would work to the ground until he found out a solution to any kind of problems. He never did anything by half and that was something Thor both hated and loved in his brother.

Whereas Thor was less smart, more blunt, short-tempered and maybe naïve, his brother was the perfect heir to the throne.

Thor closed his eyes and sighed. His entire body sagged. Behind his closed eyelids, he remembered the last time he saw his brother. In shackles.

Loki hadn’t even been angry at him. He should have, Thor had thought bitterly. He should have insulted him, but Loki didn’t. He didn’t spare a glance to their father and mother and stare deeply into Thor’s eyes. The words he said came haunting him.

“Don’t let him tarnish you, _Brother_. He will try everything to keep you under his thumb. But I know you’ll be able to free yourself. I trust you, _Brother_.”

Loki has never called him ‘Brother’ before. Always his first name. So, Thor had been beyond shocked. He remembered feeling his father’s grip behind his neck. A firm callous hand clenching and forcing him to shut up.

Once Loki had been out of sight, Thor has run out of the room, not wanting to be at the end of his father’s anger. He’d let his mom take care of it all.

A high-pitched noise, like a wail, resonated in the same area Bruce and he were. Thor opened his eyes and looked around but all he saw was a blurry scenery. Bruce soft hands wiped his cheeks dry. Only then Thor noticed that it was he, who was making this sound.

The wails grew louder. Tears poured out of his eyes uncontrollably. Thor didn’t even know if he’ll be able to stop and he didn’t care.

He appreciated that Bruce didn’t try to comfort him with the usual ‘everything is going to be okay’. Because Thor knew it wouldn’t be.

Odin expected Thor’s report on what was happening on Earth. Then he’d have to choose. He’d have to choose whether to lie or tell the truth. This time only it wasn’t a small lie. He didn’t know if he’d be able to live with it, if…

“Odin wants me to report. He’ll expect me to tell him who will start the Ragnarok.” His voice sounded weaker than ever. He wasn’t even sure that Bruce heard him. The only hint was the hand caressing his arm.

“What are you going to do?” Bruce anger was long gone. He looked as exhausted as Thor.

Thor inhaled sharply. Thea’s face appeared in front of him. He remembered her scent, her laugh…

“I could never do it,” he admitted. “I could never have my dad kill her or imprison her. I could never do her any harm.”

“Yet you pushed her away,” Bruce retorted, blandly.

“I…It was the only solution,” he repeated. He wasn’t sure to be ready to cave in totally.

“Was it?” Bruce asked, softly. There was something in his voice that irked Thor. Like Bruce understood on a deeper meaning what Thor wasn’t saying. “You push her away. She is sad and mad. Worst case scenario, she is possessed, and her body becomes the host for this evil monster who’d punish us and destroy everyone.” Bruce’s hand travelled to the middle of his chest, just above his heart. “Best case scenario, nothing happens but she’ll stay away from us and hidden. _Safe_.”

Bruce leaned over him and pressed his forehead against his. His dark brown eyes peered into his. A small sad smile adorned his plump lips.

“Which scenario did you hope for Thor?”

Thor brushed his nose against Bruce’s. “I’m exhausted, Bruce.”

“I see.”

Thor wanted to protest. No, Bruce couldn’t understand. He was a human after all. Weak. Mortal. A blessing that some of them didn’t even cherish. To be a god and live millennium was a curse. A terrible cosmic joke.

“Do you really? I have always envied you, mortals. Your life is so fragile and yet many of you take it for granted. I wish I was born a mortal, I wish things was different.” He raised a hand and caressed Bruce’s soft curls. “So when I found out about Thea…it didn’t even came to my mind that I was being selfish. All I could feel was the burden on my shoulders, my father’s hand like a yoke on my neck…forcing me on a path I didn’t want.”

“Did you forget what the other Guy is? I may not be immortal like you. But I will live past everyone. And when my human body will be too old and tired. He would live forever.” Bruce chuckled sadly. “What a way to be remembered.”

Thor’s hand descended to Bruce’s left arm. He caressed the now spotless skin. Bruce inhaled sharply and closed his eyes. His entire face scrunched in pain. Thor grabbed his forearm and kissed it softly.

It took a few minutes for both of them to calm down. Then, Thor cradled Bruce on his chest. He caressed his head and tightened his other arm around him.

“We’ll get through this, love,” he whispered to his ears.

**_CHILDREN OF THANOS, ANSWER THE CALL AND JOIN US!!!!_ **

Before Thor could react, and ask Bruce if he also heard the voice, he felt the usual pull from the Bifrost. His body started elevating and Bruce had the time to roll over. They both looked at each other for what could have been an eternity. As he disappeared, Mjöllnir hit his outstretched hand.

_ In the tower _

Bucky and Steve were both lying on the bed, both facing each other. Since they left the living room, they hadn’t really talk. Bucky’s had locked himself up in the bathroom and only came an hour later, face pale and blotched. He had staggered to the bed and laid there. Steve hadn’t been able to help him resurface.

There was something in Bucky’s eyes that scared him. And he didn’t know what to do. There had been a time after Hydra when Bucky had haunted eyes, _because_ of Hydra. But now, it seemed as if what had happened opened a gate to dark memories from before Hydra, the War. Steve racked his memories to find what could have destabilized Bucky but find nothing.

He repressed a sigh. Bucky could stay in his head for days. Steve hoped he’d be able to help him. Whatever it took.

“Are you thirsty?” Steve asked softly.

Bucky blinked owlishly and slowly nodded. Steve almost whooped. He jumped to his feet and ran to the minifridge to get a bottle.

“Do you remember when I worked for Madam Wells? A tall woman, who always smelled like -”

“Burned cigarettes,” Steve added quickly, too happy and surprised by Bucky’s question.

Bucky crunched his nose before wiping it. The same unbearable silence settled in the room.

“I…I never told you but I worked for her for a few days. After one guy died on the docks, her husband had offered me to help his wife at home. She wanted to redecorate their house and needed help to move furniture around. I was what…13 at the time.” He laughed bitterly. “Naïve and too innocent for the world. I used to hide my job to Ma because she would have been too upset and maybe she’d been right. Anyway, I went there everyday, and everyday Stevie…”

Steve almost flinched. Bucky only called Stevie when he was back to little Buck from New-York. The one who’d protect Steve even against himself.

“One day, I was sitting down on her couch. I had worked during the entire day, I was sweaty and tired and she’d offer me a lemonade. How could I refuse?” Bucky’s grey eyes snapped to his. Steve shivered, unable to look away. **“I was** sitting on the couch and she’d sit next to me. At first, I didn’t really understand what happened. All I knew was that older women were more touchy when it comes to kids because they reminded them of their own kids. But then…” Bucky choked up. Steve tried to speak and reassure him that he didn’t have to continue. “She had her hands on my crotch.” His eyes were teary and his sniffing grew louder and wetter. Steve froze. It was like when Bucky fell from the train. Steve could see the moment where everything would turn to horror. “I swear Steve, I didn’t want to…but…I was…and she kept touching me until **I came…”**

Bucky rolled out of the bed, ran to the bathroom. Steve quickly followed him, not even stopping when he heard Bucky retch. He blocked out his own memories. He had been a skinny, bisexual boy in the 30’s. If at first his bullies have not attack him on his sexuality, popping a boner in front of the same bully almost landed him in the grave. But he’d never forget, what they’d say to him. All the rape threats and inappropriate touches. Steve took a deep breath to appease his lurching stomach. Now was not the time…Bucky needed him most.

Steve didn’t know how long it took for Bucky to stop vomiting, but when they stood up, his knees protested wildly. He flushed the toilet and led Bucky to the shower. His lover was lethargic in his arms. Steve thanked the Lord that he had the super serum because Bucky was boneless in his arms. He washed him with care and brought him back to bed.

“Do you think she’ll forgive us?” he asked with a tiny voice.

Steve tightened his embrace and kissed the crown of his head. For once in his life, he didn’t know. The man with a plan had none. He always could tell what could come from certain actions but now…there were too many variables…too many what ifs and Steve was too clouded by his own feelings. Nothing good would come out of his mouth, and he wouldn’t lie to Bucky. 

The two fell asleep a couple a minutes before the loud call coming from all over the universes reached the Earth. The Tower concealed a part of the noise, then the walls outside the room absorbed the rest of it, leaving only a tiny whisper that none of them heard.

_ In a café in New York _

Tony and Rhodey were looking at each other in silence. Since they both arrived at the same time, Tony hadn’t been able to open his mouth and tell his best friend everything. How could he start the conversation?

“Are we going to stare into each other’s eyes for the entire day, or are you going to say something?” Rhodey spoke, for the first time.

Tony stop fidgeting with his spoon. He knew exactly what he wanted to say but now in front of his best friend nothing seemed clear. He didn’t see a future where Rhodey wouldn’t hit him or stop talking to him or both.

He sighed and started to play with his spoon again. Rhodey groaned and grabbed the cutlery from him.

“Tony, what is wrong? You’ve never been that silence since…” Rhodey pretended to think. “Never. You never shut up. Even when you came back from Afghanistan, half-dead, spluttering some nonsense. So what’s wrong?”

Tony took a deep breath. “Thea…We…as the Avengers are all in a polyamorous relationship.” He finished quickly, dropping his gaze to his empty cup.

“And?” Rhodey asked unsure.

Tony’s head snapped back up and he gazed incredulous at Rhodey, who didn’t seem…shocked. In all different situations JARVIS and he had planned there wasn’t one in which Rhodey would not react violently.

“Do you understand what polyamorous means?” Tony blurted. “It’s when…”

“Tony, I went to the MIT with you. I know what polyamorous is since you forced me to take this sex ed class because you were afraid that people would make assumptions on your sexuality.”

Oh. Well…

“But Thea, your niece is with all of us.”

“And?”

“Are you not…upset? Annoyed? You know us, the Avengers, we are not really relationship material.”

Rhodey shrugged. “Thea can take care of herself. She’s always had too much love for one person anyway. It’s not as if it’s a big news for the family. Her mom was quite open, contrary to her husband…” Rhodey took a sip of his chocolate. His brows were knitted. “Thea has always left some hints, even when she was little, that she’d be in this type of relationship. You should have seen her parents’ face when she asked them how they could only love each other and if they had other partners.”

Tony let out a knowing smile. He had no trouble imagining his Thea do that. Grown Thea was still as blunt and witty. She could argue with him for hours and torment his brain by asking the questions no one dared to ask. She’d challenge him every week about his new Stark products. She’d eye and proof them, whether he liked it or not.

Tony didn’t know how she did it. Even on lockdown, she’d find the codes and get into his workshop to correct him or write suggestions that he’d find the next day. JARVIS wouldn’t admit being her accomplice. What kind of A.I. would betray their creator?

“Don’t tell me you made me come to New-York for that,” Rhodey groaned, a bit annoyed. His eyes were now two slits. Tony fidgeted under his gaze and smiled awkwardly.

“Maybe?”

“Tony!” he exclaimed, exasperated. “Couldn’t you have called me instead?”

“Well, there is a…we…Thea…argument,” Tony managed to say.

Rhodey tilted his head and stared at him for a second, trying to decipher the blanks. Tony half hoped he wouldn’t.

“You guys had an argument with Thea, and she’s gone,” he translated, deadpanned.

Tony looked at Rhodey, mouth agape. How? What the hell?

“And she still hasn’t called any of you because she is probably busy. And you guys tried to find her, but she was gone in a hurry.”

A simple word came to his lips. “JARVIS.”

“No, Thea herself.” Rhodey sighed, leaning back on the chair. “She texted me when she was in the X-MEN jet. She didn’t want to alarm me or any of you.” Rhodey handed him his phone. “I don’t know how she did it, but she knew that you’d ask me to come and she wanted you to see her message.”

Tony swallowed but it didn’t nothing to help with his dry throat.

“A message?” He asked, with a high-pitched voice.

Rhodey rolled his eyes and dropped the phone in Tony’s hand.

“I didn’t read it. She advised me not to.”

Tony clutched the phone and looked at the unopen message.

* * *

_Hey Tonio,_

_I’m off to the X-Men mansion. Don’t worry about me. I’ll come back…eventually. I think we should take a break. It seems that we don’t want the same thing anymore and I don’t wanna be left behind. So it’s me being the bigger person and admitting that I can’t pretend anymore. I don’t want to burden any of you with my Love._

_Bye everyone._

* * *

Tony closed his mouth and took a shuddered breath. He tried to make sense of what he was reading but none of that made sense. Why? How? He massaged the bridge of his nose, eyes closed. His heart pounded in his chest and would not slow down. He was feeling constricted and was sure that he couldn’t breath.

‘Burden any of you with my Love’

Capital L. She loved them. She loved them and she thought it was unrequited. The written words played in his mind. Joy and despair swirl in his mind. There was still hope that she’d come back, if only she listened to at least one of them.

Tony moved his shoulder blades to appease the itchiness in his back. When it wouldn’t go, he tried to scratch it. It didn’t do anything but hurt him. The skin in the middle of his back was so tender and sensitive.

Between the sensation that something was grating his skin raw and his heart clenching because of the message, Tony felt light-headed.

As the itch grew into a searing pain, Tony fell off his chair.

Outside, the omniscient voice resonated.

**_CHILDREN OF THANOS, ANSWER THE CALL AND JOIN US!!!!_ **

_ SHIELD HQ _

Nat’ and Clint were in Fury’s office. Neither of them wanted to be there. Nat’ forced herself to keep her mind clear of any intrusive thoughts but she failed miserably. After what happened earlier, she hadn’t been able to work her anger out. Clint has helped as much as he could but there were things she had to deal with alone.

She repressed her sigh and crossed her legs. She was on the verge to let go and start tapping with her heel.

Clint sent her a concerned look. She smiled tightly to reassure him. Well, at least she tried.

“Why are we here, Fury?” Clint asked, first thing.

Fury looked at them, then stood up. He paced in front of them unusually silent. He took a pause in front of a map of the galaxy.

“There is something coming. I have received multiple reports from our allies, and all of them agree that some force is at work in the universes. Something that threatens every life.”

The two assassins shared a knowing look. Fury never gave them full detailed story and loved to see them try deciphering his nebulous stories.

“This time only we are already late. There is a monster coming after us. He is trying to bring the Ragnarok, the end of our worlds. He is called Thanos and he is after gems. Powerful gems that could control everything if anyone gathers them all. One of our allies told me he already has one stone which allows him to be stronger and destroy civilization at his will. As you see, it is one stone too many. If he reaches Earth, and it is his plan, everything will be over.”

“How many gems do we have?” Nat’ asked.

“Time, Mind, Reality – the gem is in the Aether on Asgard - and space.” Fury grabbed something of his table and held it to them. The small dark opaque globe in his hand revealed a shiny blue stone. Clint recoiled fear written all over his face. Nat’ grabbed his hand to ground him.

She silently cursed Fury. He knew what Loki had done to Clint had left an invisible wound. She sent him a glare that he ignored. They could have lived the remaining of their life without seeing this cursed stone again.

Fury, finally, closed the orb and place it back on his desk.

“Is it not dangerous to keep something so important in the open where anybody could steal it?” she asked bitterly.

Fury hummed, playing with the orb. “Maybe, maybe not. I don’t trust anyone but me to keep it safe, anyway…let’s get back on track. We are starting to gather the rest of the stones but 2 are out of our reach. One is actually on Asgard.” Fury looked pensive. Nat’ couldn’t help but be suspicious. Whatever was next, they wouldn’t like it. “I don’t trust the Asgardians to be able to protect it from Thanos. Odin and his wife may be powerful, but I don’t trust their judgment. There is so much a King could do to protect his own people. Even if it means the destruction of civilizations deemed _inferior_.” Fury walked over to his chair and sat down. Natasha’s brain was whirling. She had a growing suspicion webbed in horror at what Fury was about to ask them. Clint may have come to the same conclusion because he tightened his grip on her hand. “Because of y’all _peculiar_ relationship, you are the best people for this mission. I want you, to convince Thor to bring us the Reality stone.”

Clint jumped to his feet and crossed the room to the door. “I think the fuck not!” he spat loudly, hand on the knob.

Nat’ stood up slowly, eying Fury’s face for a couple of second. She had the crazy wish that it’d be a giant joke, that Fury didn’t ask them to use their lover and ask him to betray his own family.

As Fury opened his mouth to reply something probably scathing a loud voice made them froze.

**_CHILDREN OF THANOS, ANSWER THE CALL AND JOIN US!!!!_ **


End file.
